Coming Soon....!

Here is proof alone that someone is arriving sometime soon.......

This little man pointed it all out to me!
Even that they had reindeer waiting and that one of them was Rudolph!

Proof Rudolph does exist!

The local shopping mall all ready to go for the imminent arrival of all the helpers leading up to Christmas

Planning Ahead

Now that I have finished my Degree I need to move on forward with my plans.
You know the ones....about becoming a teacher.

A few weeks ago I happened to see the application form for the course and realised that I am not ready for the course just yet.

I have no experince and my references would be weak.

So I decided that I need to plan for this course and get active in gaining the experience I require to stand me in good stead to get through the acceptance process when I finally go for it.

The application spoke about getting references from people who know you and have history with you in experience around children etc. Despite having my own 2 little people, this is an area that I do lack.

1 of my references will be my old manager, she has evidence of my education skills within nursing and would happily support me with a personal reference.

However my contact with school experince is limited, so I decided that maybe I need to spend sometime at school, maybe as a parent helper in a class room.

This would allow me to be in a class room setting and work along side a teacher who would hopefully be prepared to support my application at such time as I am prepared to submit it.

Today I approached our Principle to tell him of my plans and see how this fits in with the school.

Now luckily I know him on a personal basis as well so he was all open arms to my suggestion.

He is happy for me to spend 1 day a week in the class rooms next year, maybe even spending time in different age groups to gain experince in all areas of the school.

He also has ideas for some extra curriculum activites he wants to start within school time and thinks I would be super to support these with him, thus allowing me to also add to my experience the ability to coordinate and run a small class activity.

I really liked his thinking and feel this is going to be great for my plans. I love the idea of spending 2 terms in one area maybe Yr 5&6 (10/11 yr olds), then 1 term in another area, Yr 7&8, (12/13 yr olds) and splitting the 4th term between the remaining areas Yr 0-2 ( 5-7 yr olds) and Yr 3&4 (8/9 yr olds). This would allow me to spend a decent amount of time with the age group I would really like to be involved with but also get a small feel for the other areas involved in this type of teaching, cause you never know....I may have an area in mind but actually like a different age group once I have been involved with them!

So I am moving forward with my plans and feel great about them too.

Roll on next year, I am actually excited about it and can't wait for the summer holidays to get here so school can start again next year, with me there too!

Thankful

Today I am thankful for family and friends and the beautiful sunshine we are having.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends and enemies.

May you be enjoying a wonderful time wherever you are and that you don't eat too much.

May Black Friday be adventurous tomorrow and that you score some great bargains.

 Happy Thanksgiving

Moment in History

Today for us but yesterday for others will be one of those days that goes into history.
It may become one of those days that people will have in their "Remember when..." files.

I think people will remember where and what they were doing when President Barack Obama won the campaign to serve "4 more years" in the White House.
It was important to us that the boys watch what was being shown here in New Zealand on the television about it, well we made them watch his acceptance speech.
Ben (9) was not sure why we were making him watch it, although we did explain that maybe one day he might remember it and realise what we made him watch.
Alex (7) sat on my lap and proceeded to draw the American flag in his notebook, making me count the stripes on the flags we watched being waved on the tv and working out how to draw the 50 stars.

I am glad we made them watch it, doubt they took much from it, but at least Ben will be able to join in the news discussion at school tomorrow.

I however decided that it was something that needed to be journalled. So I attempted my first public displayed scrap book page.
Quite odd that the first one I use has no pictures and is not too family orientated.

Thanks to Sweet Pea Designs for the ability to gain some free embellishments from her Proud American Freebie Posts. Not much call for American Election embellishments here in New Zealand, so really happy to discover her July 4th Freebies that worked just as well in my layout.

I am not sure about the date I have used on this LO though? As the election was all on Nov 6, but to us it was Nov 7. May alter the layout to show Nov 6 somewhere just for historical purposes?

Scrap Booking Freebies

In my last post I mentioned how I had discovered digital scrap booking?
I am having fun learning all the ropes at present so no layouts to share just yet, but believe me, when I do they will appear thick and fast.

In the mean time I have been getting to grips with digital stores online, downloading zip files and learning how to unzip them and upload into my digital programme!
Believe me, lots for me to learn, luckily I have a very patient husband when it comes to computers and he will, at a push, happily show me how to do things on this electronic device that manages to have me very frustrated occassionally!

Anyway, onto the freebies.

You would not believe the amount of sites out there in that big old www world that has kits and papers for the digital scrap booker...!

My Memories is one of the wonderful stores I have come across and they have lots of freebies as well.

A side from that they have a blog and currently this weekend only they are celebrating International Digital Scrapbooking Day and there is a blog train flowing.

You start at the first station (designer) and you collect a free kit and then they tell you where the next station (designer) is located and you follow the link to the next place and collect the next freebie.

These freebies by the way are not just an embellishment, no we are talking full kits here, some with up to 50 items in the pack.

So if you have some time today and wish to find some wonderful new designers of awesome kits for scrapbooking, then head on over to the My Memories Blog and follow the train out of the station.

Choo Choo

Happy travels to you all

Life Goes On....

It sure does folks, life has just been racing by and I feel like I haven't been here for a while?
A quick check of the last post and it was over 10 days ago, so not really that bad at all.

So where have you been I can hear you all wondering?
Living life I will answer, but there are a few things I will share with you.

Study
As you are all aware I have been completing my Bachelors of Nursing over the last 2 years. Only had 4 papers to complete. Not too bad...1 paper every 6 months, which mainly consisted of 2 essays.
Well I can finally announce that paper #4 is complete.
Yep, 2nd essay got placed in the mail last night.

Done, finito, finished, end of story....I have done it and survived.
I just have to wait the next 3 weeks for the mark to be available and then it is official but I am quietly confident in myself, so I have no doubts that I have just achieved my Bachelors Degree!

Labour Weekend
New Zealand has just had Labour Weekend this past weekend. The weather was not the greatest nor was it the worst we have had. It didn't stop us as a family going to our caravan and having a great time.
The boys got to play with friends they have known for a while but were able to cement the relationships a little further. 1 of the nights they both got invited to sleepovers in some else's caravan so we even managed a night without them. Bonus!
We managed to get the plants cleared from behind the caravan with the help of my mum who came to spend a night with us, luckily we managed to get this achieved on the 1 sunny day we had, so we were very lucky. It looks great now, all we have to do is get some form of platform down to keep it level and it will be awesome in time for the Christmas break

School Holidays
The school holidays only finished the week before Labour Weekend, so I feel like we had only just got over having a lovely 2 weeks with the boys and then everything was due at this time. The holidays were fun and I had a lovely relaxed time with the boys. It was the best holidays I have had with them for a long time.

Alex being as cheeky as always!

Work
Even though I have yet to secure a permanent job, I was lucky enough to gain 2 days work with my cousin at the office she works at. They are responsible for the regalia that is used in the graduation ceremony for the local University. So for 2 days I got to celebrate with all the graduates as they collected and returned their regalia for their ceremony. It was the most joyous happy work I have ever completed. Everyone was so proud of themselves and extremely happy it was over. We congratulated everyone when they collected their stuff and they were so full of smiles. It was a great 2 days, plus I got paid to be there, bonus!
I also managed to score a single day job as a patient actor for the nursing school. So I spent a day sat on a bed in a room whilst nursing students got to do a basic assessment on me. Nothing bad just the same thing every 30 minutes. It was interesting and hey it paid some more money so wasn't going to pass on the opportunity. They have even offered me a 2nd day next week which I have accepted.

On the permanent work front, there hasn't really been anything in the last few weeks.
However I did have a meet and greet, which I think turned into more of an interview yesterday at a private ear clinic just round the corner from me.
They were lovely and I feel I related with them amazingly and that I fitted really well. The director of the company was awesome and I feel we gelled really well. I happily joined in with the other staff over morning tea.
I definitely handed back my application form later that day and I know through the sneaky grapevine that they have sent reference checks out to my referees. So fingers crossed for this. I think it would be a great little place to work. Yes it is a small private place but it seems friendly and inviting and I think I will fit in just nicely there.

Hobbies
I have several hobbies...reading, sewing.
Although I have never let myself indulge too much whilst I have been growing the boys. Also as mentioned in a post a while ago I am terrible when I read as I get lost in what I am reading and everything else disappears out the window until the book is finished! Not that we are talking about wild classic novels here, oh no, we are talking Danielle Steel and other family romance novels, the really heavy girl stuff. If I find a series then I am typically screwed as if I find I am enjoying the first then I just have to have the rest of the series and I want to finish them all just as soon as I can!
Well with the study now complete and the boys also leaving me alone for more time nowadays then reading is suddenly taking over again. Roll on summer.
However I have found a new hobbie....one I knew I would eventually get into but to an extent I needed to let the times catch up with this hobbie...as I have finally taken up scrap booking, digital scrap booking too.
Man is it easy to loose yourself for hours doing layouts on the computer?
I will post about this more in a while as I have lots to say and as I am only using a trial edition of my scrap book programme I can't post layouts until the activation key comes through next week. Keep you posted on that one soon.

So there you have it. I have been a little absent but not quiet in any means.

Lemon Time

New Zealand is coming out of winter and entering spring.
Well it sure felt like it last week. This weekend I think we have taken 3 gigantic steps backwards! Wind and rain like never before is lashing the country from top to bottom!

The lemon trees however are doing fine and there is plenty to go round.
So when you have lemons...make lemonade...or in this case lemon curd.

I love lemon curd, freshly made on a thick slab of fresh crusty bread, nothing better than sinking your teeth into lemon and fresh bread.

Now I know you can make this in the microwave but I still like to make it on the stove with a double boiler, or in my case the old fashion way of standing a dish in a saucepan of boiling water.

Lemon Curd

50g Butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup lemon juice
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp finely grated lemon rind

Melt the butter in the double boiler.
Stir in sugar and lemon juice until sugar is dissolved.
Add the eggs and lemon rind.
Cook, stirring all the time, until mixture thickens.
Pour into hot sterilised jars.

Makes about 2 x 250ml jars.
Will keep in the fridge for about 3-4 weeks.

Mine sadly does not last that long in the fridge! Eaten before it ever gets that far.
Also I find this recipe is a little runny. I cook for about 15 minutes. It does thicken up but not a solid set, but it still taste divine.

Work In Progress

Our little house is a work in progress.
We always knew it would be and we were happy with that.
There is the garden to sort, bathroom, painting all over the house inside and out. Woodwork that needs replacing. Carpet to eventually be replaced etc etc.
I know for some this would drive them mental, but for us we are happy to just potter along and do things as we get to them.
Ok sometimes I am sure we could do with a little motivation, and yes life does just seem to wizz past us but we are getting there.
Of course unemployment does not help this situation at all!

1 little area that always needed sorting was the bathroom window.
It was fine and stable, does not leak and opens when needed.
However it was clear glass in the window.
Yep, someone in their ultimate wisdom had never put in frosted glass?
Now this didn't cause too many embarrassing situations as the window is actually higher than you realised once you got out on the driveway.
But we still discussed the fact we needed to get frosted glass in there at some stage.

The solution was presented to us by a friend....don't change the glass just place a frosted sticker on the window.
Steve finally remembered, after about 2 years, to find a website and low and behold they did all manner of different patterns on a frosted sheet that sticks to your window.
Very easy to install and very easy to remove if no longer required?

And guess what....due to the horrible weather that is hitting New Zealand as I type, he put it in place today and it took all of 15 minutes.

Now I can shower in peace knowing that no one can see me whilst there!

Countdown

Did you know that there is only 82 days until Christmas??
I can not believe that so many people are reminding us about it.
On Facebook and Blogger there seem to be reminders all over the place.

I guess it is now time to have a quick sit down with a cup of whatever you drink and see if there is anything you need or want to achieve/finish before those 82 days disappear?

Do you have some home made presents on the go that need completing?
Have you something to send overseas that needs organising to be able to get the early cheaper post?
Do you have a goal you are hoping to achieve?

For me.....I want to lose 3 more kilos, that is 1 per month.
That is what I have been achieving since February and that is my goal for the year.
Oh and also to finish my degree but seeing as that will be complete in 3 weeks time then I am not worried about that for now as I know it will be achieved.

So what are you aiming for...?

Hide 'n' Seek

Whilst at mum's house a few weeks ago, we got to enjoy the wondrous sunshine that suddenly decided to hit New Zealand.

We got to sit outside in her courtyard area and have some lunch.
She has a lovely large flower box in the middle of the area

can you spot the cat?

And it seems like her cat, Chivers, has decided that this is his space, despite the fact there is no space for him!

Chivers enjoying the daffodils as much, if not more than we are!

At least he is showing who owns what around the house!!

Friend Making Monday

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section here at: alltheweigh so we can all see your FMM questions and answers.

Uniquely You

1) Do you prefer to talk or text? I prefer to talk, although if I do text then I use full words, none of this text language.

2) How often do you make your bed? Not enough!

3) What sounds do you hear right now? Birds tweeting in the trees outside

4) List three things that you always carry with you? Phone, wallet and a tissue. (You never know when you will need one for something)

5) What are your favorite TV shows? At the moment, the things I ensure I record so I don't miss them are Greys Anatomy, Glee and Body of Proof.

6) Is there a hobby that you’d like to devote more time to? If so, what is it? Cross Stitch, I love how it looks and how simple it is.

7) What is your favorite drink? Anything cold, juice, cordial or fizzy. I don't do tea or coffee.

8) Share a couple of cool facts about your family. My parents took us to live in Kuwait in 1977, I went to Boarding School for 6 years, my parents fostered at least 15 babies before they had me, think they wanted the practise.

9) List one thing that you will do for yourself today? Enjoy my children's first day of school holidays.

10) Share something that you’re thankful for today? The friends we ahve in our life who are making the school holidays so much fun.

If you want to answer these questions on your blog, then leave me a comment so I know to come and visit your answers, but also remember to leave a comment here so others can come and see you too and make friends.

Can't Be That Hard...Can It??

I am currently unemployed, have been now since the beginning of July.
Most people are shocked to hear that and then start questioning me as to how a nurse has not managed to get a job? Aren't they crying out for nurses they say? Isn't there a shortage of nurses at present?

Well yes there is but unfortunately there is also a thing called a budget and the hospitals are trying their hardest to stay within theirs. So this means that when someone leaves they are really scruntinising the position to see if it is really required or can they manage without replacing the person.
So to an extent there is a shortage of jobs at present.
Add to this that when you do find a job worth applying for then you are in line with up to 30-50 other interested people.

1 job I applied for a few weeks ago, I got to discover that 60 of us had applied for it!!
This means that the employers can afford to be picky about who they hire.
Where once upon a time someone with my experience would have got the job and with a little training in the new area I would be great in the position, they now have so many people apply that they can afford to choose the person who already has experience that they want and not take on someone who needs to be trained in anyway.
So for someone like myself, who has no ward experience because I am a theatre nurse by trade, then I really don't stand a chance at being successful against 20 others who have many years experience on the wards when I have none!

At present, it is a real privilege to just even gain an interview.
I have been successful in about 75% of the jobs I have applied for in that I have gained an interview, unfortunately I have not secured a position from this (well one I did, but I had to withdraw as it wasn't going to work with the family at all), however when they call and talk to me it is always the same feedback...
"You interviewed so well, we were impressed however unfortunately there was someone else with more experience at this time. Thank you for your time."

So I feel like I am hitting my head against a brick wall.
Once upon a time I would see a job advertised, think to myself "what a cool interesting job" apply for it, interview for it and always be successful in  obtaining the job. So it is a little disheartening to have applied for so many jobs in the last few months only to still have nothing, although there isn't a great deal out there to apply for either.

They can choose to be very picky at present with who they give the job too so I don't even stand a chance at working in a restaurant/office/shop till something comes along at present because I have no experience and there are 10 others who have been spilling coffee over people/typing faster for longer in another position and they are more suited.

It is very frustrating to say the least.

Friend Making Monday

If you’ve taken part in FMM before then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section here at: All The Weigh, so we can all see your FMM questions and answers.


Fall Favorites
I do have to firstly say that I am just heading into spring, so difficult to answer every question with an answer about fall.

1. What is your favorite thing about this time of year? I love the fact that we are getting longer days and even some warm sunshine. People are becoming a little more relaxed as the nicer weather is heading our way. I also love the fact the heaters don't have to be on quite so much as before.
2. What do you hope to do again before Summer is officially over? By the time summer finishes I hope to have had plenty of time at the caravan with the family.
3. When did you last go on a hay ride? It has been so long I can't even remember!
4. What is your favorite pumpkin dish? Pumpkin Pie, although a good pumpkin soup is welcome anytime.
5. Do you decorate your home for fall? No
6. Do you have any hobbies that are seasonally specific? Yes, I find cross stitching nice in the summer, as I can sit in the shade and stitch. Knitting and quilting are for the winter, although sadly I got neither done this past winter!
7. Apple cider or hot chocolate? No question...Hot Chocolate.
8. Are you a fan of football? I take it you mean American Football, in which case sadly no, but if you include soccer in there then yes as both my boys play.
9. Share a fond Fall memory? Collecting conkers from under the big trees at school
10. It’s not Fall until…you start to snuggle under a blanket in the evenings to watch tv with a warm drink nearby.

Family Day

I love having family days here.
There is always something that can be done, even if it is a simple walk in the local gardens, and believe me we have lost many an hour there before!

One activity that we do attend each year is the Gallagher Great Race.
It is a rowing regatta that is completed over 3.85km on the Waikato River.
We only really go to see the main 2 races, the men's and women's final (but then so does everyone really)
Last year the boys in the family were all away at the caravan, as they had left me at home to complete my essay. This year we were all able to go.
Despite the weather, umbrellas definitely neeeded, we all had a great time out.

We love it when we bump into friends

5 Boys and A Wall

For Ben's Birthday this year he again wanted to take some friends to the Climbing Wall and then out to Burger King for dinner.
So we had the pleasure of watching 5 little boys climb like mad up every wall possible in the place

On your marks, get set, Go!

Look mummy, I can reach the top!

Birthday boy just hanging around

Wow, you mean the walls this end go over the ceiling!

Everyone had a great time and it was just perfect for a group of 9 year olds.
Thanks to all for coming and having such a great time.