ROCKING YOUR WORLD - PART 2

Hello fellow Rockers and Rockettes, yes I did mean to happen along last night and update you as to the week that was - but in all honesty I was completely and utterly shattered - I'm not just talking tired here I'm talking power napping at 9pm and waking at 12.30am and then hitting bed and waking at 8am - I kid you not, to discover that today I'm feeling mainly - well unwell - being predominantly dizzy and I've been like it all day - not good, anyhow after an afternoon in the garden, moving washing around the universe (you know the one - out of the machine onto the line, from the line into the tumbler from the tumbler to a basket, from the basket to a sort, from a sort to an ironing pile or away in the case of undies - like I said moving washing around the universe).  Anyway bored senseless of doing this so thought I'd try a Rocking post for size instead.

So what was it like - well I could tell you that it was busy and hectic, that I managed bike riding all week, that my niece thinks a golf driving range is a great place to try her hockey skills, that my son enjoyed all the water based activities, that I fell off the teetotal wagon and had a hangover, that my sister arrived back in a taxi, that we lost my Mum and that 'on a corner' is not a great description when you are trying to find a certain person in the park!  I could tell you that the drip drip ripple room in the Aqua Sana was my favourite, that my hubby despite nearing the half century mark was happiest at the top of the 9 metre (28 feet in old measurements) gladiator challenge, I could mention that paddle boarding can give you a fat lip (literally) but that you get an ice pop as 'treatment' I could mention that said 10 year old is now lining himself up for his own submersible and that hubby now wants to throw himself off the aerial adventure.  I could tell you that I've got no sense of co-ordination but that when it comes to Zumba having an ass the size of Jupiter is sometimes a benefit as it makes up for the lack of co-ordination!  I could tell you that I said we wouldn't do another 'week' again but that I changed my mind after a 3 hour spa!  I could tell you that hubby's back wasn't up to foil fencing so dear sister stepped in despite not having seen any of the moves and that said 10 year old did try a couple of "Wii" moves on her - maybe allowing him to sword fight on that game before trying fencing for real wasn't the best of ideas!  I could tell you that the Aqua Sana put security tags in their towels and that trying to do a spa experience without glasses on is no experience so you just have to take them off when you end up in the hottest spas.  I could tell you that sharing waffles are gorgeous and that watching people capsize boats shouldn't be funny but it was, that stoats don't do drugs but are naturally crazy!  That clipping a gully on the way back after a glass of wine can equal a sprained ankle.  I could tell that in a choice between shreddies and crunchie nut cornflakes squirrels are completely into crunchy nuts, I could tell you that it is possible as an adult to 'flink off' with a box of shreddies I could tell you that we can't as a family apparently play tennis for toffee, mind you six people on one court, having never tried the game before and using all four balls that were in the pack at once probably was never going to be a great idea, having said that my Mum doesn't half manage to serve well when it comes to tennis!  I could tell you that rabbits are into eating wholemeal burnt toast, that moorhens can actually get their beaks stuck in a crisp bread and that a certain squirrel had a thing about crisp bread and wasn't willing to share.  I could tell you playing squash with a hangover isn't fun and that softball is even more dangerous in that scenario - you had to duck for cover.  I could tell you alpha rythym music is actually very calming.  I could tell you that hubby has a thing about starbucks latte with an extra shot and a spice aisle full of nutmeg and cinnamon.  I could tell you that the sky is pink and the moon is made out of cheese and that if you really want to know what the week was like that from the above you have to pick out the actuals amongst the slightly over the top stories!  I could also tell that I let hubby read this before posting to ask if I could get away with it and he had to walk away and not look at me when he said yes LMAO! - Ooh well posted it now!

Did it cost a fortune - nope it cost a fortune and a half but it was great fun,  

So we had chalk drawn pictures in the villa

And we had paddle boarding

Look how happy DH looks in this photo!

And DS who managed to stay on his board for the majority of the time!

Then there was the way not to wear your floatation jacket courtesy of Scott the instructor, demonstrating this on dear niece!

Then dear sister managing something that she said she wouldn't!

And dear hubby balancing at the top of the gladiator challenge - like its something you do every day! Yes this is a zoomed shot and yes he was 9 metres up in the air!

Then our visitors - how cute!!!!!!!!!!!  Said 10 year old and niece named the signets Sunny and Peace

And this little fella how cute is he!

But my utter favourite has to be this little guy - yes that is a stoat you can see!

We have got a video of him - but in all honesty it just won't load up so you'll just have to take my word for it! 

 Wii pose at the ready - sorry I mean foil fencing at the ready! 

Then said 10 year old with the new item for his eternal wish list!

and finally these two guys who are always part of my Rocking Your World Posts - you're both awesome as always! 

So there you go Rockettes you get a glimpse of the week that was and yes before you ask I did also manage some art journaling which was lovely promise I'll share some pages when I get chance to photograph them. 

So the question is in the long lists of "I could tell you's..." which ones led you down a deliberately wrong path?  Answers on a postcard or even faster post a comment - I'd love to see which ones you think were little white lies LOL.

I also got a blog award whilst i was away but I'm already compiling a long list of things that you don't know about me...

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - PART 1

Wow I'm doing this one in advance - I don't actually know what will have Rocked my World come this time next week - but I'm being brave and hoping that some of the following will have provided me with something to smile about.

So what might that something be?

Let's hope it looks something like this!

Blue skies
Big Forest of Trees known as Center Parcs Sherwood
Riding a bicycle (preferably without trying to cause myself a serious injury this time)
Swimming in the day time, swimming in the night
My first experience of Zumba class?
Watching four people have a go at paddleboarding?
Giggling at sister and hubby having a go at the Gladiator challenge
Getting two spies in the group
Playing a game of squash,
Enjoying a moonlit spa?
Watching little aqua jetters
Enjoying a meal out

and yes before you ask it has cost that much - scary isn't it - it better be worth it LOL! 

Let's hope it's full of fun and laughter, reading time, down time, quiet time, art journaling, chatting, smiling and overall serious family time!

I promise I will along later and update you as to whether or not we've managed any of these.

Can't leave you without crafting so how's about the word DESCRIBE out of my journal for Darcy's 52 worlds - had to use 5 words to describe me and 5 to describe other half - quite fun - hadn't realised I'd got such strange stamps!

On the scrapbook layout front thought I'd share icicles with you and yes I don't care that it's July LOL!

Unfortunately trying to do Mr Linky in advance is not easy so if you are joining in, leave a comment, leave your link in the comment and I'll update as I go, if I get back and remember early enough I'll come and put Mr Linky on!  Hope you have had a beautiful and blessed week don't forget to tell us what's been Rocking Your world

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY!!!!

Morning Rockettes - yes I have been missing in action - excuse - work - nuf said!

But it's Friday and it's time to see what we have to be grateful for this week

Number one - on my list this week - hubby and said 10 year old - yes I know you've heard me before putting them on this list of gratefuls, but when you abandon them for almost 12 hours to do essential work that just can't be put off and ask them not only to pack bags and buy shopping for a weeks break - only to discover when you get home that he's also managed the washing, the drying and the ironing as well as shopping for his Mum, fending off a fraudster on his mum's doorstep (don't ask grrrr) battle in Asda when all the tills go down, discover there is no 'meal' for Thursday night, head to the chippie who has no donner meat for a kebab and does yes another mercy mission to Asda for said pizza - you know that this makes you hugely grateful!  Hun you're a star - thank you!

Little bro (who probably won't read this post due to lack of internet) for being an absolute star this week knowing things have peaked at max again and helping wherever he has been able to (we work together) and really going above and beyond - particularly today (Thursday) when I've been shouting, copy this, check that, calculate this, remember this, phone these - well you get the picture!

A gorgeous evening after a rather sunny day reading books in the back garden followed by a fire followed the following night by a barbecue - awesome stuff, really enjoyed it!

Well peeps I'm afraid after digging deep that that really is it - yes i know it's short but I am truly grateful for them which is what counts, I'm also truly grateful for being here, being alive, being able to see the beautiful blue skies, here my child chattering away, chatting to my hubby, enjoying my home, despite having an incredibly difficult workload at the moment I do love my job immensely and know when I go the extra mile that people appreciate the world, I thank God for allowing me to enjoy this beautiful, busy crazy week of my life I hope the sun has been shining for you too and that your life is full of abundant gratefuls to enjoy and reflect on, if it hasn't been quite as sunny as you were hoping then remember to dig deep and find those parts of it that have been good!!!!

May you're week to come be filled with positives leaving you with a little crafting (because you'd miss it wouldn't you LOL) just to prove you can use pink on a masculine page if you get the right photo!

up close detail you can see what appears to be my infamous stitching (giggling Carmen at the fact you spotted a sewing free layout). 

and finally an art journal page from Darcy's 52 words - being INDULGE!

Well my beautiful Rockers and Rockettes that's your lot!  If you're joining in (and it's awesome when you do) don't forget Mr Linky and leave a message I promise to try and pick them up before I turn my phone off for a week of rest and relaxation!

Biggest hugs to you all for helping me Rock my world - if I didn't feel that I should do this post tonight I don't think I'd have realised that despite a tremendously busy week I've also had so much to be grateful for!

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY !!!!

Well here we are again on a Friday, analysing, taking stock and appreciating what has been good in our lives this week - are you ready for it?

This week in no particular order we have

Quiet times to think
Quiet time to start to cleanse my home surroundings
Finding that sometimes the best way forward is simply not to expect too much of myself
Starting to appreciate that I'm not superwoman and that some things are better handed over to others than making my own life insanely complex
Psychologies magazines that I buy with every intension of reading, absorbing and acting on only for them to languish in the bottom of a drawer for months on end - that suddenly do help when you are trying to make some sense out of the chaos known as life.
Hubby and said 10 year old for the joint effort on said 10 year olds room on Wednesday - it took some doing but now looks pretty awesome!
Indepth conversations with my brother, always a blessing
Appreciating sometimes that I am losing the plot - but it's OK because everyone in my brain knows me - this weeks example, when I arrived home on wednesday I unlocked the front door and proceeded through the door, keys still visible in door, I closed the door and couldn't quite get my head around why the keys were no longer visible - that'll be the fact they were on the outside!  Honestly - no hope sometimes, but did provide a much needed giggle!


Early nights when I need to just sleep

Late nights when my brain is wide awake!

Said 10 year old for his request for a walk on Father's day, a wander around Elsecar dam was enough to brush off the cobwebs, chat, listen and breath in the world around.  Finished off with a gorgeous coffee and my life was beautiful in that very moment - thanks little man - you absolutely rock!

This week has been a strange one with levels of simplicity and of levels of complexity and as I move onto a new path I'm appreciating that having a 'whole life' view of where I am sometimes helps but in order to move to the new path I have to take the time to make the shift, it's slow but nobody said it was a  race.  I hope your week has been filled with silver linings, people you love, things that make you happy or just little rituals that let you say "I am alive and for that I am truly grateful" because that's how I feel this week.  for quite a few of us, I hope the week has been full of memories of fabulous people who are no longer with us in body, but always in spirit.

A little crafting for my beautiful Rockettes that make my heart sing every week, this one showing  a gorgeous boat we found in Mahon harbour it was spectacular all bronze in colour, I used a combination of papers from a giant K & Co pack, I was really happy to finally fathom out out a way of using a paper that was just squares of design (the shells), simply cut them out and use like an embellishment!

Up close using up bits of velum words, old brads etc overall really pleased with the layout!

 Then the word PURPOSE from Darcy's 52 words challenge, again overall pleased with this page, managed to extend the photo either side to cover the double page!

So there you have it my list for this week

Currently -

Listening - Lady Gaga's Born this Way

Eating - nothing yet microwave still housing this mornings porridge
Drinking - Cup of tea - yum
Wearing - Black work trousers, blue t-shirt

Feeling - Unconnected
Wanting - To connect with my inner self
Needing - To allow myself time to adjust after the last few weeks
Thinking - I quite like this track of Lady Gaga's might be good to exercise too, got a lot on at work at the moment, wonder if we can get the loft finished this weekend, do I prioritise the other two bedrooms for sorting or maybe sort the bathroom, what do I need to get together for our holiday?  Finally, my hubby said that was the case and yesterday we had it confirmed -  Yes I am thinking all that and more all at once
Enjoying - Life even though it's hard work the people in my life make it all worthwhile each and every day - love you guys!
Learning - That I'm not superwoman or invincible and that I've got a really really strong mind!
Wondering - Whether said 10 year old would mind if we played the music at the correct volume LOL!
Procastinating - Not doing none of this - life is for living not procrastinating!

Loving - LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Aniticipating - A busy weekend

If you're joining in with Rocking Your World then please add your comment and a linky, I love the fact we've got this small crew of 'die hard' fans for Rocking Your World, you are all awesome and in turn completely unique, most people spend their entire lives procrastinating about things and moaning about how life should be better and easier etc, but you each and every week take that step back, hold your head up and say thank you for having those special moments, in turn these set you up for the following week.  I know for one, these days when we're busy in our day to day lives things happen and I giggle and think - that'll be on my Rocking post this week!  When you join in I remember how truly blessed I am - thank you!   The other side is that I know sometimes its just not possible to post, when you really can't face trying to put a post together, don't stress on these weeks just try and be kind to yourself and try to at least acknowledge the little bits of your life that have made it more bearable on difficult weeks

THE WORD ENDEAVOUR, OFFLINE MENTALLY & LITERALLY

Well it is officially Thursday and well in all honesty the home PC hasn't been on since the weekend, which is practically unheard of - honestly it's just not the way we tick. 

Monday was a 'scheduled' grief day, I was at a loss, I knew I wanted to be in my own mind without distractions but I also knew I needed something to occupy me that didn't take too much thinking - yep I cleaned you knew that was what I was going to say didn't you.  Now given the last couple of weeks and the things that have happened has meant that on Monday the house looked atrocious, when you add into the equation the the partially emptied loft and you can imagine the state of it.  Now I could have done my usual which is going to the nth degree to tidy the whole place on my own so when hubby and said 10 year old arrived home they found a pristine house and a grumpy wife/mum so decided that might not be sensible.  Instead I set too on one room, our bedroom, I emptied out under the bed I went through every single drawer getting rid of surplus/old/doesn't fit etc and it took hours, I vacuumed and dusted and polished and let my mind do whatever it needed to do. 

It felt better and I felt like I'd accomplished something in amongst the quiet times of my brain.  As you can imagine however, this was one room of many, so last night was a whole family effort on said 10 year old's bedroom.  Now this was not for the faint hearted but we set about doing through every box and every drawer, my back started tweaking, said 10 year old whinged at a lack of his TV quota and hunger, but we kept going with a brief respite for drinks and food and after about 4 hours it was clean and tidy and everything had a 'rightful' place to live which pleased me no end!


So that's two rooms done with many still to do but now I've started I don't intend on letting the momentum go, every room, every cupboard needs a good sort through and in doing so I'm cleansing not only my brain but also the place that I escape to when life seems difficult.  I haven't mentioned it to dear hubby yet but I want the loft finished this weekend, gulp, yes you heard, which means insulation down and T&G boards down or loft boards, whichever is the easier/quicker and cheaper.  We shall see whether I achieve my goal LOL!

Anyway this was me just putting my brain down on 'paper' and telling you all that I've not forgotten about you, just been a little preoccupied. 

Crafting has been on the 'lacking' side this week but I did manage a layout last night which felt great even though I was fighting with those muted colours!  This morning in the cold light of day - actually it doesn't look too bad!

I do however, have in reserves some crafting that I've not shared that I made recently - this is a favourite from Darcy's 52 words - it was the word endeavour, I loved the picture and used the leopard print fastenator as the inspiration for the page in general, using punchinella to emulate the netting!  I journaled in between as I went!

Then a 12 x 12 layout from when we went to the Puzzling place, I used the free stamp off craft stamper on this page and am really pleased with how it turned out!  I also used a question mark stamp dotted all over on this one!

Close ups of the journaling block and the stamping - see - tiny question mark stamp!

Anyway if you have come along and read my drivel at the top and persevered to here you might as well say hello because you're awesome for listen to the rambling in all honesty!  I will be back tomorrow for the Rocking post - why not join in this week, even in times of grief and sadness there is always a silver lining that allows you to be grateful for what you have isn't there?  Don't believe me just think of one thing this week that has made you smile even if only on the inside - there you go - now that's a "Rocking" thought, a few more of them and you'll see that life although challenging provides us with beautiful opportunities each and every day to just be ourselves.  If you don't feel like you allow yourself that time to be 'you' then maybe it's time that you did! 

Until tomorrow...

SUNDAY MORNING

Good morning one and all, well after a very difficult day yesterday I've woken today to a brand new day, the funeral yesterday was a very solemn but also very intimate reflection on an amazing life and the resounding sounds of my Grandma's life came through as two aspects and these have left me with some significant reflection today

FAITH 
AND 
FAMILY

these were the two aspects of my Grandma's life that were at the forefront of her mind each and every single day and I believe that these are two aspects by which to mould my life a little more, I've always had a strong faith base but feel a need to reaffirm it in order that my life have a more holistic balance and family has always been front and centre but is predominantly my immediate family rather than extended family - not that I don't want it to involve my extended family it's just with such a huge family it's all too easy to put off for another day what in all honesty you could do today, so I for one will be trying to make changes along these lines in order that the influence of my Grandma becomes stronger now that she is no longer here in person.

Quite a deep post as you can see but it has helped me immensely see the value of those interactions of amazing people, I see it all the time through my blog but now I'm wanting to bridge that with my extended family so my scrapbook albums are full of extended family memories as well as immediate family memories.

Anyway thought I'd just come and tell you that I'm doing OK and that your thoughts have meant the world to me, I know others are struggling today on Father's day, here is a tribute to my amazing Daddy, photo of him here with my Mum and me as a baby!

 A little crafting - a slightly blurry picture (sorry) of the Atlas fountain at Castle Howard - unfortunately when we saw it it wasn't running so we didn't see it in all it's glory but it was still awesome!

then a 12 x 12 layout - catching up on photos from our 2009 Menorca holiday has proved interest (and quite a lot of fun)

 Up close detail - using long held stash and upcycling clothes tags from new items!

Hope you are all having a beautiful and blessed Sunday, wherever you are whoever you are able to spend time with!

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY !!!!

Good Morning my beautiful Rockettes and how are you this morning?  Well I've had the strangest of weeks, I don't suppose it was going to be a 'good' one but I wasn't imagining strange if I'm honest, I seem to have had to 'schedule' grief - how on earth do you do that - I mean how do you put that sort of thing to one side whilst you get on with normal work life and then pull it out to have a good rummage around in when time pressures aren't so great?  I'm not sure that it's a healthy thing to do or a sensible thing to do but it is something that I've done, so I'm now feeling a little numb?  No idea what I'll be like over the next 24 hours but that really really isn't why you are here is it, so in an effort to remember the essence of the Rocking post let's celebrate what is Rocking my world this week

Blue skies and milky coffees
Moments of quiet in the back garden
Loud music and headphones
Scrapping time and mojo (when it reappeared briefly)
Husband - he still amazes me how he just goes with the flow of our lives and keeps me mentally with it even when I seem to be losing the plot
Said 10 year old for just being him, for giving me hugs when I've needed them
For my amazing sister who when things were starting to crack on Wednesday let me arrive at her house, completely break down into tears and give me the biggest hug, before feeding me copious cups of coffee and letting me rant whilst joining in - thank goodness for sisters!
For my brother who despite being poorly kept dragging himself into work at the beginning of the week despite the combination of illness and grief
For Dara O'Briain DVD's when you need a giggle his take on 'gamers' and the 'escalator' sketch - laughed til I cried

For my boss offering to buy my husband a pork pie - honestly the conversations you have sometimes, it went something along the lines of appreciating that I'm still going that extra length to get things done which means that my family life suffers, to him asking if Craig likes sweet things when I said I'd have to bribe him when I got home - then I said - no Craig doesn't like sweet stuff so he said "ah a savoury man" I said "yes he likes pork pie" to which my boss said to tell him that he owed him a pork pie - yes I think we are losing the plot!

Hairdressers sorting said 10 year olds hair out last night and fingers crossed sorting my hair today.

New patio doors that give us a better view of our postage stamp garden

Boxes of memories with sentimental letters and paraphernalia in them

Finding the box of missing photos that I've spent 7 years trying to find

Yep I think that's about it I'm afraid but it's a longer list than I expected!

Now crafting creations for you lovely people using yet again the Shimelle layout mentioned in the last post!

Up close - border punches and layers

A little art journaling in my A5 journal from when we went to York I enjoyed playing with the colours of this one!

So there you have it you lovely people

if you fancy joining in, put yourself a post together and then pop along here leave a comment and put a link in.  If you don't have time to do a post yourself or don't have a blog just remember to think of those little glimpses of fun you've had this week, those little parts of your life where you've had a smile on your face!

May you all have a beautiful and blessed weekend!