Me & Simon

Last week-end was somewhat unpleasant. It started out all right. We went out for hot chocolate with friends, then on to the playground where Liam and I shared a swing until I got a little motion sick...however that was not to be the end of it as my stomach started to behave like a witches cauldron. Well after a few hours my GIT tract had finally decided it had cleared everything out and was nice and fresh from top to bottom...only I felt like I had been beaten up and it has taken a couple of days to recover.
So my Christmas preparations are delayed...losing 3 days now is not good timing. No the tree isn't up yet. Presents have not been wrapped. Three stitcheries are yet to be completed, but on the bright side I got my hair done today. Perfect timing really as it required little energy from me and allowed me the satisfaction of ticking something off my to do list :)
I guess I've been tuned up and polished inside and out LOL
Kris was also unwell, but fortunately Simon came over Sunday afternoon as he was clearing out his stuff and fed the dogs, cooked Liam's dinner...played with Liam and what touched me most...cleaned up the kitchen (without me even asking). Now wasn't that so sweet. I must have done something right when he was little.

Stay well,
Hugs,
Sharon

Giveaway Winner

Bet you guys thought I had forgotten.
Well I decided as nobody guessed the correct double that I would do a draw. I put all the numbers ( 1-5 comments) on bits of paper, which I then screwed up and put on a lid. I decided to get Liam to pick the winner. Don't worry, none of the pieces of paper was red :).
I was a little concerned he might grab the lot as he has been mounting a collection of folded and screwed up bits of paper, cardboard and fridge magnets behind a chair in the lounge. This I discovered when leaving the house as they are all clearly visible through the window (also behind the chair).
I did think it may end up being a reverse draw...ie last bit of paper standing, but as it turned out he was somewhat disinterested. It was only when I waggled it in his face that a got a "shoving it out of the way "response. Can't say I blame him. What's this weird woman doing LOL. As he knocked one of them onto the floor, I wondered if this could be considered a pick...then I thought why not! So I picked it up, unscrewed it and there it was No#1 Simone de Klerk
So Simone if you could email me your address I will post Christmas Buckets by Bronwyn Hayes off to you...I hope you enjoy making them for someone for next Christmas :)

BTW I did have photos, but I am having technical difficulties...ie he is at work and the memory card won't go in...I may be doing it all wrong...being a technical nuff nuff

Hugs,
Sharon

Dear Santa

Dear Santa,

I would love Eden, the fat quarter bundle for Christmas. These colours are different from what I usually choose, so it would be fun to do something completely different.

BTW I think it is lovely that the people at The Fat Quarter Shop are helping you out :)




Hugs,
Sharon

A Little Dilemma and Endings.

The many faces of Liam (Mt. Evelyn SDS)





Liam had his last day at Mt. Evelyn SDS last Friday. He had a lovely time there and we will all miss the place and staff there. I felt quite sad. One poignant gift from there was a disc with photos of Liam at the SDS set to the song "The Rainbow Connection"


Tomorrow is his last day at Kinder (MECEC). This too has been a wonderful place. I cannot recommend the people there Or at Mt.Evelyn more highly. Both places have been good for me too. In a way I had kind of closed off to the "normal" (how I hate that word) world...afraid of rejection. I couldn't have been more wrong. A few Mums at the Kinder have told me how much they felt their children had benefitted from Liam's presence and how much they had seen him grow. His teacher said he had been a pleasure to have, especially as she had no prior experience of autism and her introduction to Liam was a report that was written to get funding for an aide (and these jump to worse worse case scenario)



Liam and me (he's watching whats going on through the window) . Kris loves this photo.



I have to share a message in a Christmas card we received from a Kinder Mum & her son...
It says :

What a wonderful little man!!
M (her son) just adored Liam this year and I have to say the "moments" I had with him were just gorgeous! he is a darling little boy and I wish
nothing but all the health and happiness in the world for your family.
Keep Smiling - S (her name)

I have to say that Liam's pre-school years, from starting early intervention at 2 to now have been filled with some wonderful people, who have helped Liam, Kris and myself enormously. I have gone from virtually knowing nothing about autism to (the more I've learnt) so much more, yet understanding how little I know. There have been tears, shared laughter, hugs and dismay...yet bonds have been formed that I cherish. The psychologist at Irabina (autism early intervention) once said to me "the best thing we can give you is another parent"...she is soooo right, but at the same time she and others have given so much too, even if at times it has felt like the blind leading the blind ;)

Now for my dilemma
I have 4 people who responded to my last blog. None of them guessed the correct duplicate, though one picked it as her second choice. I'm not sure what I should do with the giveaway under those circumstances. Any ideas? I mean I could send it to the one who picked it second, draw a name out of the hat or....

In the meantime, the camera has been recovered though its battery may be failing.

Give those you love a hug :)
Sharon

Every Cloud and a giveaway

This week has been difficult, but as they say every cloud has a silver lining. Here's mine :)















I won a giveaway from the delightful people at Modern Retro Textiles. Yeah. I need fireworks here. LOL
As the camera is still missing "sigh" I have had to pinch these images from Modern Retro Textiles blog here. Still enough of that, sighing I mean...I'm sure (hopeful) it will turn up, but in the meantime I have these goodies Woo Hoo

Giveaway: As I have got one of these designs I thought I would share the pleasure with someone else. So I will giveaway the duplicate pattern, but you have to guess which one I've got already :)



Not only that but the lovely Sue Niven of I Purr-Furr to Craft has given me a blog award "big smiles"





Now I believe I have to tell you 10 things about myself.

1. I have 3 sons, 27, 24 & 5 that I adore
   
2. Kris is my one and only love
3. I love being a mother...sorry boys you are stuck with me :)
4. I have agoraphobia, but get stir-crazy staying at home
   
5. Honesty is very important to me. I hate people who play games
6. I am a shocking chocoholic, I have been known to pull apart freezers, & dive in cupboard in the search for that elusive chocolate I've attempted to put out of my reach.
   
7. I procrastinate, put off, forget & lose things all the time
8. I am a loyal, if sometimes negligent friend (though I love them dearly)
9. I'm in the mailbag section of this months issue of Homespun ( a few seconds of fame LOL)
   
10. My youngest son has and is making me a better person

and then nominate 10 fellow honest bloggers. JUST 10! NOT FAIR
Well here goes (in no particular order)

1. http://oneredrobin.com
   
2. http://vintagericrac.blogspot.com/
3. http://pumpkinpatchprimitivequiltshoppe.blogspot.com/
4. http://sue-niven.blogspot.com/
5. http://questioningautism.blogspot.com/
6. http://theredbootquiltcompany.blogspot.com
7. http://dontlooknow.typepad.com/dont_look_now
8. http://www.auntycookie.com/blog
9. http://debbiepsplace.blogspot.com
10. http//gumtreedesigners.blogspot.com (actually I am cheating a little here as this is a collective site for more than one designer, but I love the fact that they've got together in friendship and mutual support and thats always a good thing, but it did mean that I had to leave my lovely friend Vikki off the list as she is a gum tree designer :( "sigh")

But my best silver lining was a christmas card for Liam from a kinder friend and his Mum...

Best Wishes to all,

Sharon

Missing ????

Has anyone seen my camera. It seems to have disappeared. I've even (taken the unusual step) of tidying up my craft room. Maybe its run away with my sunglasses. LOL Still at least I found my missing Believe pattern, Kris's and Katie's xmas presents...so it wasn't all bad ;)

So although I have been doing some stuff...despite either running aound like a headless chook getting nowhere fast or perfecting procrastination to a new art form LOL. So as a last resort I thought I would show you a couple of pics of Christmas past. Hope you like them.


The Santa are wood cut-outs I got and painted from Wood 'n' Pots...I do not know who the designer is.








The bears are designs by Holly Hanley in her book "Sunshine Kisses and Warm Winter Wishes 2" (yes Debbie I still have it tee hee hee). The angel snowflake is a painted Bronwyn Hayes design from "The Wish Quilt (though I had to alter the wings a little). I'm still wondering if I should do the bears again as I've done them for the last 3 years :)

Hugs,
Sharon