Sugar Cookies...

I love to bake sugar cookies.  When we lived in the States, I would bake them for every holiday.  I have a big tub of shaped cookie cutters.  Since we moved from Indiana, I have only made cookies once or twice.  And have not made them since moving to New Zealand.  I had been told once that my cookies were better than Loften House cookies (a really good soft sugar cookie made in the States).  Now to me, that was a really high compliment.  Today as Bryce and I were running errands at the mall, we popped into a kitchen store.  I was beside myself excited to see these cookie cutters!  I knew they had to exist somewhere in NZ but I had yet to see them.  AND they were 50% off!!!  Now I am the proud owner of these Kiwi cookie cutters. I am ready to dust off my recipe and get out my sprinkles....which by the way are called hundreds and thousands here in NZ....and get to making my sugar cookies.  YUM!!!

Sketchy Thursdays and a home to dream about...

We have just come back from a weekend trip to Dunedin where we are house hunting.   Dunedin is 4 hours south of Christchurch and we will be moving there around mid December.  For this trip, we had looked online for houses that met our requirements and then did drive-bys.  If we liked what we saw, it stayed on the list.  I was a little discouraged the first day as many houses got crossed off our list but day two seemed to produce some possibilities.  Bryce drove me in one neighborhood just because he wanted to show me this view.  This house wasn't even on the market but could you imagine waking up to that view every day?!  It would be nice, but I can pretty much guarentee that our house won't have a view like this.  : )

Before we left, I was able to get my layout done for SketchyThursdays.  This time I used sunrise pictures I've taken on my beach walks.  I thought it would set them off nicely to use a dark background and some paint behind them.  With some glitter mist and bling, I liked the way it mimicked the shimmer of the sunrise.  My week is going to be a short one with today being a holiday, Labour Day here in New Zealand, so I hope this isn't my only scrapping for the week!  : )

I love my boys...

I have been wanting Bryce to take some new pictures of me and the boys.  Mother's Day was about the last time I had him do that and its been a little crazy since then!  So over the weekend, we went to a huge park that the boys just love.  I used that opportunity to get my shots in.  At first I was disappointed that I didn't get that "perfect" shot but the more I looked at those pictures, I knew that Bryce had gotten the perfect shot.  My boys are beautiful.  They are the lights of my life and I wouldn't know how to live without them.  Yep, these are perfect pictures.

Sketchy Thursdays...

This week between catching up on laundry, grocery shopping, house cleaning, yard work, and having overseas company, I was able to get not only the regular sketch done for sketchythursdays done but also the sketch for the November Guest Design Team Member.  The challenge was to follow the sketch, use orange and at least one punched item.  I thought this was the perfect time to use some of last year's fall photos.  With it being spring here, I am missing the typical fall colors, pumpkins, and cooler weater.  Although warmer temps and spring flowers are nice, it just seems a little odd to me.  But it was nice to pull some fall products from my stash and make this page.  Today is Saturday here in New Zealand and we are headed off to the home show with a few of our Kiwi friends.  I'm hoping its a good one.  Then to one of our favorite playgrounds for play time and a picnic tea (dinner).  Sounds like a good day to me!

Australia Holiday...

When we knew we were moving to New Zealand, it had been a secret (or maybe not so secret!) desire of mine to go visit Australia.  I mean, by airplane we are only 3 hours away so why not?  Another stamp in my passport, another country knocked off my list.  I was thrilled when we decided to attend the Australian Christian Convention and take some time sight seeing.  One of my favorite things to see was the Sydney Opera House.  I have a mental check list of things I'd like to see or do in my lifetime.  Hmmm....sounds like an upcoming scrapbook page for me....anyway, the Sydney Opera House was on that list.  CHECK!!  We also enjoyed the Sydney Wildlife world, the aquarium, Bondi beach and Coogee beach.  We spent all our time in Sydney so there is much more of Australia to see.  I didn't realize that it is the same size as the continental 48 States.  Maybe one day we will go back and see other parts of the country.  Another stamp in my passport awaits me!

Sketchy Thursdays...dedicated to Stephanie...

This past week has just flown by!  We have been gone on holiday in Australia and had a really great time.  My next post will be about that!  : )  I really wanted to get my layout done for the sketchythursdays challenge this week so here's my take on the sketch.  

Stephanie is one of my best friends.  She has influenced and changed my life more than she will ever know.  I am thankful that even while I'm living in New Zealand, we have stayed close through emails and skype.  Stephanie sent me a box of scrapping love not too long ago and these flowers were in it.  I thought it was appropriate to use them on this page dedicated to her.  Here's to you Stephanie!  Love you!

I almost forgot!!!

In my excitement to get the story of Bessy Ressy scrapbooked, I forgot to mention that I was again picked as a sketchy thursdays favorite for my "Life I love You" layout!  I'm digging being a favorite!  : )  And I'm loving that it is challenging me and my scrapbooking.  Yay for favorites!!

: )

Sketchy Thursdays...Will the real Bessy Ressy step forward...

This week I wanted to get my layout for sketchy thursdays  done early this week as we will be out of town all next week.  I loved this layout and it came together quickly for me.  I am dedicating this page to my two brothers, Troy and Joel.  The journaling reads as follows.....

"Who is Bessy Ressy?  No one really knows.  Well, someone knows but they aren't telling.  When we were kids, Bessy Ressy made her mark by signing her name to the padded part of a folding chair.  In INK!!  She must have really wanted to make a statement.  Naturally, since Bessy is a girl's name, I got blamed.  But I think it was really one of my brothers!  I think they just wanted to get me in trouble.  So who is Bessy Ressy?  I have my suspisions.....and NO it isn't me!  But I suppose we will never know for sure who the real Bessy Ressy is."

So this is the story of Bessy Ressy.  As adults, we have had many laughs over Bessy Ressy but no one has fessed up to being THE Bessy Ressy.  This past Christmas, I had a gift given to me that read "Bessy Ressy and Bryce (my husband)".  Hmmm...I think maybe Bessy Ressy decided to sign "her" name once more!  hahaha.....
: )