My little sister

My little sister is so cute! She loves to come and visit us and is always begging to hang out. I found the reason why as I was cleaning up my harddrive. I stumbled across about a thousand of these pictures she has taken using my web camera! It was cracking me up as I was scrolling through the millions of photos.

Enjoy the crazy faces!

SURPRISE!!

Whose birthday is it huh?

Watch out, that bird is after you!

KISS pose

Stre-e-e-e-tch

Aww, lovely!

Taking a photo with my imaginary camera

UMMMMMM



Even the gorgeous neice joins in the fun!

Are we taking a photo or a video????? Oooops

Hope you enjoyed the trip to crazy as much as I did. I do not think these photos do it justice, but blogger could not handle a hundred photos!

2009

I have been watching the Laguna Beach series, and at the end of each season, they romanticise about where they will be in 10 years. Got me thinking!

Where did I think I would have been in 10 years from high school. I have achieved one goal (may have been my only goal, I can't remember), I have my perfect job. I love what I do. I am a primary school teacher and am so looking forward to the new school year. Meeting my class and opening their minds to the possiblities in the world. I have been mentally planning the whole year. We will have so much fun. My saying for this year is one that I picked up from this really good course that I did last year " If they are not laughing, they are not learning". There will be laughter ringing out from my classroom this year. It is my personal challenge.

We had a lot of fun last year, but each and every day I will fufill my goal. I have been practicing my jokes, want to hear one?

Knock, knock
Who's there?
Amos
Amos who
A mosquito just bit me!
(insert manic laughter!)

Well, I hope you all have years filled with laughter!

I obviously don’t live with little children

My sister and I were preparing to cook dinner. As is customary in our house we turned on the oven for it to warm up. We often wait for 10-15 minutes for our oven to become hot. Tonight, Mel opened the oven after about 2 minutes. On opening the oven she discovered our strainer (which is plastic) and a plastic McDonald’s toy inside it. Our gorgeous niece had been visiting and playing cooking! Made us laugh, and who could be angry at this face?




And one more for the attitude!!!



I love this little girl!

Brains and a road trip

This is a scary sight, even scarier that I was going to be travelling in a car with it for the next 5-6 hours. I was embarking on an excursion to learn all about brains. It was being held at UNE in Armidale. We were travelling in convoy with two other cars and a bunch load of children. We had three lovely poppets squished in the back who kept us entertained for much of the trip with there complaints of "Are we there yet?" (When do they grow out of it? Some of our travellers where in high school!)

We drove to Mussellbrook and stopped for a healthy afternoon tea of macca's. Yay, more sugar for the lovelies in the back. We swapped children with another car until we stopped in Tamworth. It was the NOSIEST trip I have ever had. The lovely excited children were making up a song that had to be sung at the top of their lungs. They also practiced their head banging (so hard that the car felt like it was having engine trouble). I am surprised that I couldn't hear their brains rattle. They made the trip go very quickly.

We arrived at Tamworth and had a pit stop at a petrol station. What is a pit stop without some teeth, funny glasses and a pose for the camera?

We used this opportunity to swap back to the complainers, at least they were mostly quiet. HEHEHE

My attempt at photographing the golden guitar. It was late, way too dark, but the passengers loved the idea. Promised we would stop on the way back. We then spent the rest of the trip looking for funny road signs we could stop at on the way back.

More driving until we got lost in Armidale, then found, then lost. Call home to my sister who uses the power of internet to guide us to our destination. Thanks Mel!

We arrived at an interesting place to stay, the decorations were interesting as was the food!!

After a long trip we were looking forward to some really scrumptious food, but we felt a wee bit disappointed.

That chocolate cake was finished. When hungry children leave chocolate cake and ice cream it gives you an indication of the quality.

To bed, early start next day to attend the brain workshop. Early morning brings cold and discoveries of "I left my other shoes at home, I have to wear my school shoes". This is the result.

"I don't want people to think I am serious". Best quote of the day.

The day was fabulous. The workshop was presented by this really interesting guy, John Joseph. He had lots of funny stories, a great power point with great videos (like a brain being eaten by maggots), and heaps of information.
[Photo isn't very clear, we were at the back of the room and had to zoom to maximum and try to avoid all the heads.]

We got to do some awesome activities, my favourite was cutting open the brain, although we learnt not only what the parts of the brain were but also how they work and how we learn. I love learning new things, I always say that I am on a quest for knowledge! This satisfied all of my quest for the whole weekend.

Warning: gory brain pictures ahead.

The children at my table even created a brain stem kebab. TASTY! There was lots of talk about how to gross out the children back at school as well as impress them with their brain knowledge.

We also had to create a model that explained how the brain created memories. We were once again on the 'creative' table.

Then it was back in the car for another trip home. We stopped in Tamworth again (this time it was light) and got photos with the golden guitar. Another healthy macca's meal (more sugar, we learnt that sugar was vital for brain function).

More driving with only a little stop, someone felt sick (fresh air fixed them right up). Lots of sleeping on the way home (not me, I was driving). Arrived home and felt ready to sleep for the rest of the week! No such luck. It was fun and such a great day, even though I spent a whole lot of time with this!

She is lots of fun and made the whole trip enjoyable. Thanks Nic.

Baking!!!

I have been reading a number of very inspirational blogs. People who write well and often, documenting their lives. When I read them I think, I want to do that. So this is my first attempt. I am setting myself a challenge to blog at least once a week, about anything and everything.

A few weeks ago I bought some cupcake mix in a very beautiful box. The plan was to bake them with my 2 year old niece who was staying over. We didn't have time but the box has been haunting me since. It feels like every time I turn around it is staring at me just begging to be noticed. Today was a baking day (lovely and cold just right for a warm oven).

So here is the gorgeous box.

I just love it, the colours and everything about it. I wanted to pack the finished product back into the box!! The box was pretty inside and the patty cases were such pretty colours.

The baked cakes. They smelt so good, could have eaten every last one then and there.

One of my favourite things was the icing. Pour them out looking white, add some butter and hot water, and hey presto! ICING!!

The iced cakes ready for decoration. I loved all of the colours, reminded me so much of my classroom. I love bright colours.

My obsessive need for matching and complementary colours. Loving the effect.

Using the gorgoeous coloured sprinkles, trying to make some cute patterns. Sprinkles can be hard to control and my kitchen was covered with them, mostly thanks to my helpful sister!!!

Here she is 'helping' by posing with a cupcake (they were so little)

I love baking!! I plan on doing a lot more baking but probably while I am on holidays.

Well, my first of many blogs (I hope).

Signing off,

Amanda

My First Blog

This is my very first blog. My sister is addicted to blogging and I decided to get in on the act and see what has her so fascinated. I often have very random thoughts pop into my head and I think that instead of pondering them to myself, I will blog them and share the love. Anyway, I look forward to blogging lots. Too bad I can't actually think of anything else to write!! HEHEHEHEHE