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and cam- you thought you were a body builder! today is our last day on the beach (boo hoo)... the time has flown by! it's new years eve and everything! HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! 2009 is going to be great. (note my new banner... thanks rhonna!! ) she has a new blog, and it's beautiful... i think she is amazing.
Even on vacation, I thrive on staying up late so that I have quiet time alone to myself. To just think and …yea, think. It’s extra nice with the ocean breeze blowing through and the sound of the waves crashing. I wish I weren’t tired. I wish I had my scrapbook stuff…I am feeling creative.
today we went to a place called ‘kings beach’ that isn’t far from where we are staying. It was a beautiful beach-great sand, and had a shallow, flat surf where the kids could walk about quite far, and still only be about waist deep. The boys both stood up on Chanel’s surfboard (help from dad) and both tell me that they are ‘naturals’ (of course). Quincy found oodles of shells, and Capri and Connor managed to scatter them back into the sea. After we got back mid-afternoon, the little ones went down for naps, and eric and I took a chance to relax on the beach while the older ones ‘babysat’ the sleeping babes. I think that we might have had at least 9 minutes of peace!- before Colton was launching water balloons at us from the rocks above. –better than nothing! Eric and Gary rode 114k this morning starting at 5am. E is loving the good biking weather, and a good biking ‘mate’. Our evening ended with heating up chicken nuggets for the kids, and ordering in Thai food that was DELISH!... followed by a rousing game of ‘FARKLE’.
As the aussies would say: good fun!
It’s funny how you can get a fed ex package anywhere… I got a fed ex pk today w/ some final CHA product. I think that all my booth samples will be of beach photos! I am feeling inspired…love that. 
It’s pretty much been a perfect day.
I got to sleep in until 7:30am, and woke up to a breathtaking view of the coast, and sunshine, blue sky day. we spent a couple hours on the beach, and after lunch got a 2 hour nap while the babies were sleeping.. then a few more hours on the beach! Some Mexican for dinner (ok, just taco night) and I just went to see Twilight. This is sorta starting to feel like a vacation! 
this morning we have all the kids in full swing cleaning up from yesterday's festivities so that we can get on our way up North to the Sunshine coast. chanel and i have been trying to make sense of all the remnants from the Create '08 event. her good husband is trying to be patient, and hoping that come 2009 he'll get is garage back! we have a certain number of class tools, class kits and project kits left over that we have for sale, along with available instructions etc. i have created a bunch of 'thank you cards' and a kit to go along with it...but if you are interested in just purchasing the instructions,tips and up close photos of the cards you can inquire with Chanel, and she can organize that for you. i have created this MONSTER post on the Create '08 blog that you can check out. it's got content photos, and lists of all that is included. All the prices are listed in Aussie Dollars, but we are willing to post anything internationally, we'll just have to work out the shipping prices. here is a peek at the thank you cards- they were fun to play around with!
you just can't underestimate how good it feels to just sit down and have some creative play!
there are a few other projects on there as well! for sure email if you have any questions....
i'll be posting photos from the beach! can't wait!
cory was reportedly up at 4:19am checking out the status of the presents...and resisted waking me up until 6:01am. it's now almost 11pm, and they are playing one of the games that we got 'ticket to ride'. my brain is mush, and since i got schooled on the new table tennis set-up, i decided to cut my losses!
here is a little look at our morning here in Brisbane! 
Santa brought funny wigs and boas in bright fun colors- they were a must around the house today, and colorful feathers were strewn throughout! in addition to eating amazing food prepared by Chanel, who is as passionate about cooking as she is scrapbooking... she put together an awesome day of hoilday favorites including a turkey AND a ham for lunch! and tonight i was introduced to chocolate 'pavlova'. WOW. spectacular! The balance of the day was spent enjoying the pool and visiting with family members on skype! what a cool thing that is! we were really able to rub in the nice warm, enjoyable weather that way!
we topped the afternoon off with a heated wig-table-tennis match- good for many laughs! our kids think we are nuts! so much fun! merry christmas to everyone! smile...
it's almost 1am.
presents are wrapped, and under the tree... chanel's house is clean and ready for a wonderful christmas morning and memorable christmas day. the weather was beautiful and HOT all day as we were involved in our holiday preparations... (shopping, wrapping, cleaning, cooking)...until about 5pm when storm clouds rolled in. tonight we were going to be attending the Christmas Mass at Chanel and Gary's church. Their church puts on a huge outdoor service and it begins with carols, and then there is a precession of a live nativity- Mary and Joseph with a new born baby Jesus and a donkey. Then a whole bunch of sweet little angels, all dressed in white- followed by a herd of sheep and Shepard, and finally 3 exquisite costumed wise men on camels! it is awesome. even the threatening rain clouds didn't damper the crowd and especially the kids as they watched the animals pass through. it was really cool. it drizzled a bit, but nothing too serious! it really set the stage for our very non-traditional Christmas celebration (non-traditional in the sense that we aren't doing all the things we usually do for christmas at home). Although i grew up in Utah, and so my fundamental memories of Christmas involve being cold, and snowy... our years in AZ have brought plenty warm, sunny Christmas days...but being away like this, really provides a different feel for Christmas! Helps you to realize that no matter where you are, the meaning and the reason that we celebrate is the same, no matter what. of course, it's about being with the ones you love, and we are so missing our family- katie had a new baby last week, and i am so excited to meet Bryson in real life! (i love seeing him on the webcam though!) but being able to focus on the Gift that the Lord gave all of us- his Son...is the most important thing, and the thing that brings peace, and warms you all over...makes you feel loved, and grateful. Tonight, like always on Christmas Eve, i feel that peace and love from knowing that my Savior lives; that He knows me...that He died for me. all the hoopla that accompanies Christmas tends to frustrate me, and get me down; happens every year. but then comes Christmas eve, and nothing can damper the love that i feel from a Heavenly Father that wants the best for each one of us. i have that giddy feeling of excitement, knowing the thrill of Christmas morning that my children are experiencing...such a happy thing. it's been such a cool thing to share it with another family- participate in their traditions, and see it through their eyes. i certainly got what i was wishing for this year! so grateful to be here in beautiful Australia, with my sweet family, and dear friends. i want to wish everyone....a very merry, blessed Christmas.......and a wonderful, exciting New Year: new opportunities, possibilities and a new start. i love that.
i have to share just a funny story, cause it totally cracked me up! it's the first time we'd ever attended a Catholic Mass with our kids, and of course having the service outside for this occasion made it seem just that much more different from what our LDS church-sunday-experience is like. anyway, it's been interesting for the kids to compare notes with each other on how their churches differ, and are alike as well, so religion is an on going subject between our families, as we just learn more about each other... anyway- as we are sitting there tonight, about the first 5-10 minutes or so, as the narrator was reading from the Bible about the Saviors' birth, and the choir starts singing 'Hark, the Herald Angels Sing'... Cory leans over to me and says, don't we have a story just like this in our church? ........lol. I appreciate how Christmas has a way of bridging gaps and unifying many of us in our beliefs.
merry christmas!
i love this photo that is from the Reflections of Christ exhibit... it's a photo of the angels as they were overjoyed to declare the long-awaited birth of the Savior. if you take a minute to follow that link (i have posted the link to the exhibit before-i love it) there are 3 more photos that depict the Savior's birth, and in a very sweet way, highlight the beauty of their little family. This series of photos have been made into a book that you can pick up- i know it was available at Costco in AZ, but not sure if that is all over... here is a link to the book. i got one for Christmas! 
so it' s been an amazingly full few days, and i haven't been a very good blogger, because of the intensity of what has been going on! if you want to see and read about it... you can check out the create '08 blog. we have finished both days... the Brisbane and Melbourne events, along w/ the retailer nights. i almost don't even have a voice left. what an amazing, awesome experience on all counts. dang, i LOVE australia! ok, so check out Create '08 and also Chanel did a killer post summarizing everything. we have a few photos, and i will try to gather up a few more. i will post the projects soon so you can see how fuN! but for now, we have to get to the airport... going to Sydney and hopefully doing a bit of Christmas shopping! (how many more days!?) yikes...
Eric is coming with the kids in just 2 days, and i can't wait to see them all! I was on video chat w/ them last night, and on the video, the babies look so big! i might have to stop calling them babies. oh, they are so sweet... Capri was just talking, talking to me- telling me some long story, that i could only partly understand, and she was talking to Connor in their own little language. it's so sweet. you know how being away just helps you catch your breath, and look back in on your life, and see things from a bit farther back... makes you realize how blessed you are. The last time i was here in Melbourne, it was a turning point in my life... maybe it's just this amazing city. it's got a great vibe. wish we had more time! xoxo
if you are in SYDNEY.. here is where i will be:
There is a new store opening up called SCRAPLOOT,
if you have any questions, you can contact Sue at Scraploot: 02 96883319
the address is: 22 Rowood Road
Prospect NSW 2148..........see you there.
it's DEC 13!! that means total crunch time for homemade holiday gifts! i made this about a week ago, and kept meaning to get it photographed so i could share it.. it's a quick DO-ABLE project, and something that any and everyone would love to receive (or make and keep for ones' self). i think it would be so fun to make as a teacher gift, it would sit so cute on a desk... great for dad... grandma...new baby! whatever... (katie is having her baby tomorrow!!! squeel!) ok... so guess what i made this from? yep, IKEA box. (getting desperate!)
i have to say, that i love the 'street smarts' papers from my summer release. they are just cool... go well together, fun and easy going and perfect for this album entitled 'everyday special occasions...' . i just went through a printed off a month's worth of goings-ons... i have found w/ the older boys, i have to be really careful on the cutesy stuff... so even though this isn't 'all boy'... it's not got ANY pink... or a single jEWEL! 
i did use some clear and glossy extras..tim's stampers anonymous calendar stamps, and just kept it simple with random sticker and journaling spots, i have about 10 pages in it. you know what is cool, it's a pretty sturdy book actually... even the babies can manage not to crumple it!
check out scrapbook.com for some of the 'street smarts' stuff...
Ok, 3 hours and counting.
It’s snowing here in Beijing today, so leaving for sunny Brisbane is even more enticing! It’s always hard to leave…but glad they will all be joining me on Sat of next week. Eric is celebrating our #14 anniversary flying from Beijing to Brisbane w/ 5 kids all by himself! Is he getting the father of the year award or what!? Yikes. Our anniversary is the 21st, and his birthday is the 22nd… so he will be so full of joy! Smile. No, he is like a total super-dad, and not even phased by the prospect of the 12 hour flight to Sydney and continuation to Brisbane! I think it’s the kite surfing that he’s focused on. We are going to have so much fun.
Anyway.. I wanted to share a quick sneak peek w/ the ladies that will be joining me on the Ultimate cruise! You are going to be getting a supply list from me, via the Scrapmap folks… this is just one of the classes that I will be teaching… the other is a purely technique class that I will be spilling some CHA winter beans! One of the collections I am releasing at the show is called ‘summer sun’, so I had to use that of course, since it won’t be summer, but it will be SUN! ok, I gotta jet.
ok, so i just was on Karen's blog getting my usual dose of photographic inspiration, and saw that she is giving away a chance to win a spot in her 'photographers workshop'. at the moment, it's really hard to get in. it's a 9 week course that is usually $275, but w/ quite a long wait list. she started the bidding on her blog at a dollar... so check it out. i must say that i have been so overwhelmingly impressed with her class, her organization and her over all down-to-earth coolnes.. i just love her, and have loved learning. i had to listen and read the last 2 classes both 3 times to get the apeture/shutter speed/ISO connection and how they all work, and i have never wanted to know any of that mumbo jumbo but NOW I GET IT! (man, took awhile).
you have to go and check it out. it would be wonderful to win, but even cool just to join in her raising money for a good cause this holiday season!
edmonton all day
liz's jewelry
creative escape 2009
heidi city
