New Camera and lots of pictures!!!

Santa has arrived!!!

Sean got this AMAZING deal from one of his colleagues who is a real photography enthusiast and he had a spare Full frame Canon 5D (as you do!!!???) which he'd only taken about 1000 frames with, power grip and two batteries, a 24-105 L IS lens, flash gun model EX580, 8 Gb Sandisk Compact Flash card, Arctic Butterfly sensor cleaner, Lowepro Pro Mag 2 camera bag everything in the state of brand new and hardly used at all.

He was due to arrive last night 11pm and yesterday morning I told Freya that Daddy will be here tomorrow morning - she was sooo excited!!! As it turns out he arrived yesterday lunch time!!! As I'm picking up Freya from nursery I asked her "who do you think will come home after lunch?" Her answer was "YAY!!!! Santa is coming!!!!!!" *lol* Oh so right she was - for me it was Santa with a BIG "S"!!!

The camera with everything else is AMAZING!!! Not as big and "clumsy" as I had imagine. Perfect feel to it in the hand and solid! Seans colleague had said that if I didn't like it and rather wanted the brand new 450D that Sean had planned on buying(I had no idea of that either) no hard feelings, I could return it anytime...somehow don't think I will....

It will definitely take me some time to get use to and even longer to understand but I love it!!!

Here's my first shots from yesterday on Auto mode, no flash and this is how it turned out...

Freya loves her beading's

Kian just loves his diggers, trucks and lorries...

Here's some of our dining and living room... I've tried to take pictures of them before to show the family but never managed to get the lighting right...this is sooo much better!
Had to have one of the dogs as well... this is Tabu
Here's some from the garden and Freya had to use her camera just like me...
Not too bad for the first shots right!?

There is sooo much to learn, so many settings... I've really been dropped in the deep end with this one but only way out is to learn how to swim and I'm always up for a challenge - I'm keeping it!!!

On a different note...

HAPPY MOTHER"S DAY all Swedish mothers!!! Hope you all will have a great relaxing Sunday!!!

Grattis pa Mors dag mamma!!! Älskar dig! Vi ses snart!

Have a nice day everyone!

It's Christmas!!!!

...well obviously not - but it sure does feel like it!!!
On Sunday the 31st of May it's the Swedish Mother's day. Sean is away this week on a bussiness trip, as I've mention before, he'll be back late Saturday night and he's kept on saying he'll do something special for me... I thought maybe flowers, dinner...you know...not in my wildest dreams could I've thought he would do this - He's got me a Canon 5D with a 24-105 F4 L IS lens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've been looking at buying a new camera for an while but this is just... wow!
I got a sms this pm saying "Happy early Mother's day honey, the children has asked me to get "this" for you since you are such a great mother and deserves only the best - Lots of love Freya and Kian" WOW!!!!! Needless to say I burst into tears and as it happend I was in Costa coffeshop ("luckely" I've got the cold from the children so I blamed the snotty nose and tears on that!) I don't even know if I will know how to use it and it will probably take me quite some time to get use to it...but...OMG!
Anyone who's got one and can give me some advise!?
Have I got the best husband or what!!! LY, honey!!!

On a scrapping note, I've finished another page for the album... me and Sean leaving the church as husband and wife, the number plate on the car says "Newly wed" in Swedish. (for full credits click on the image)

Have a nice day!

Flu and wedding album!!!???

Well, Freya did not come down with chickenpox but instead a good old fashion flu!!! Yesterday was her first day back at nursery and she's now back to normal whilst Kian is down for count and I'm getting there, the cough and sore throat started this morning... Needless to say I haven't got much done this week and will probably not for the next 5 days either and on top of this Sean is going away tonight for a business trip and won't be back until Saturday night! I'm going shopping this pm so if it hits me as bad as the kids then at least we've got everything we need at home!

We knew Freya was getting better when she came through with Sean's helmet on her head and trying on his boots so she could go on the bike...This is how Kian spent his days since Wednesday, in a beanbag, with his dummy (which he normally only have at bed time) watching Baby Einstein... poor boy doesn't know what hit him and can't communicate enough to tell us how he feels!

On a happier note I won Paislee Press designs latest Presslines no.13 Wedding (YAY!) in a blog contest and it really inspired me to do something with our wedding photos... it is 6 years since we got married this summer!!! Can't believe it!!! It feels like yesterday!

Here are some pages from the coming album (click on the images for full credits)

Last but not least.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIS!!!!! Annika turn 35, my "little sister"!!!!!! HIP HIP HURRAY!!!!! Hope you had a great day, I sooo wish we could have been there but I promise to make it up to you when we get home!!! LY!

Have a nice day everyone!

Full tilt is here!!!

It's finally time for Fei-fei's stuff to be in the spotlight over at Oscraps! Fantastic freebies and a super challenge! Make sure you get over there and have a go!

Here's my "Full tilt"

"Life is not about how many breaths you take, but how many moments that takes your breath away"

"Bubbles float high, bubbles float low, bubbles filled with love wherever they go So reach out and grab one - it's my love to you"

Have a nice day!

Chickenpox!!!???

My poor little Freya! She's very rarely poorly except for the monthly nursery "cold bug" but she has come down with something that has totally knocked her out. It actually started yesterday pm with her telling me she didn't feel well but seemed otherwise ok. When she woke this morning she was really hot and didn't want to get out of my bed after our "morning coffee". Temperature 38.9 C... poor thing! She kept saying her skin hurt so I'm thinking she's got the fever pains as well... Now, 14 days ago we were told of 2 cases of chickenpox in her nursery...hmmm... guess we'll know tomorrow! Freya and I spent the day on the sofa, her tucked in under her duvet and me in front of my computer, she's slept most of the day and went to bed with 39 degrees C and some paracetamol. On a scrapping note,

TaylorMade Designs are in the Spotlight over at Catscrap this week make sure you don't miss it!!! Lots of goodies and fun! Here's a couple of pages I made (for full credits click on the images)

I found this poem on the net whilst browsing for bits and pieces...I LOVE it!

"I am a woman of many talents, the guardian of my children. I have the strength of my God, to lead me through whatever Life has in store for me. I shall look ahead, rather than be pulled back to the past sorrows or mistakes, for only by moving forward can I begin anew. I will love myself, I will sleep peaceful, knowing I have done my best, and no longer burden myself with thoughts of unworthiness, or worry about what other people think ... all that matters is my family and I am all ME"

Slightly altered from the original but so current for me right now!

Have a nice day!

A weekend of "firsts"

We've had a nice quiet weekend at home with the children. Started of with a Thursday morning and lunch out for Sean and me.
Before we left the house that morning we had the first of the "firsts" - Freya asked to go on the potty (which she has done several times before but never done anything) and she actually had a small weewee! She was so proud of her self and so was I! My little girl is growing up fast!!! Because she was so good I promised her I'd buy her some panties when I was going out and another potty so we had one up and one down stairs, she wanted a pink one (of course!) and yellow, blue and purple panties (???) I then told her we would have to get Kian something and what did she think he would like. "Mamma, Kian want a car!" Ok, so I'll buy Kian a small car... "No, Mamma, Kian want a 'BIGGI' car! *lol* Ok, I'll get him a "biggi" car."

Well, here is the results...

Not sure Freya really meant this big but he loves it!!! Since Freya got her trike a few weekends ago he's wanted to get on it and play all the time and of course Freya won't let him so now he has his own vehicle and the best part is the little lid in the front and to be able to put "stuff" inside it. He's studied the "mechanics" of the car into every little detail.
Well, now to the second "first" that happened.

Freya and Kian played TOGETHER properly for the first time!!!!!! Sean and I was in the kitchen making lunch and for about 40 min all we heard was laughter and play from the living room! Not once was there a cry, screaming or any fighting!!! AMAZING! And they had such a good time! Freya was running around pushing Kian in his new car and then they played hide and seek, or at least a version of hide and seek, the laughter came from the heart straight into ours!!! It was one of those "Moments"! They had so much fun Freya forgot about the potty and only wearing panties, but who cares!After a great day indoors due to the heat we took them for a walk when it cooled down a bit and Kian went in his car whilst Freya peddled the whole way on her trike even if she stopped for a break now and then and it took us an hour but they loved it!

The third "first" is that we've just discovered that Kian has his very own little sign language and we haven't noticed it before this weekend! He is so clever! If he has a dirty nappy, he makes a sound and pulls his T-shirt which means "change, please", when he's tired he walks up to one of us and start waving to the other... I'm sure there is more but we've just started to understand him! I guess he's been thinking "Hey, guys, just because Freya can talk and I can't yet doesn't mean I don't want things too"

So now to the last "first" - not sure this is a good one...

Freya figured out how to climb out of her cot and at 05.30 this morning there was a small knock on our bedroom door and a "Monin, Mamma awake!? I come out of bed myself and open door!!!" as she runs into our bed!

Hope you all have a nice day!

Believe it or not...

"Revive" is the latest creation from Amanda, TaylorMade designs, and she's created it for the June issue of Flourish at My Scrapbook Art. If you sign up before 1 June you get it for FREE!!!!

Search ...and you will find

There's a little blog challenge over at Catscrap "Search" which ends Tuesday the 12th so make sure you get over there and play along! The challenge is to open your catscrap folder and search for 5 different things -Something White, a Clipping mask, Flowers, Glitter/Sequins and do some Journaling - easy right!? Well, the great thing was I found all these little goodies hiding in my stack of kits! I "found" things I didn't know I had!

This is my take on it, I just LOVE that bg paper and flower stamp and I didn't even know I had it!!! Click on the image for full credits:

The new me!

Well it was all I thought it would be and some, but lets start from Tuesday pm...

I suddenly realised - this is it, this is really going to be Goodbye old me!!! It was quite emotional in a weird kind of way...like if I had walked around thinking that one of these days it will all be "back to normal" but my "normal" is not the same anymore and that just hit me.

I had a moment and shed some tears on my own in the car before thinking "pull your self together woman" I know there worse things "out there", but this was on a very personal level and something that obviously has bothered me more than I thought it had. That same evening I made my self a nice bath and just stayed in it for ages, candles, bath salts, bubbles... you name it! I also tried to do a little pedicure my self...can't come to the therapist with rough feet now, could I (even though I'm paying a fortune for her to do just that - silly me!) I was ready for my "BIG" day!

Wednesday, What a day! It was just as good as I hoped it to be if not better!

Started off in the morning with Freya running in to our bedroom, I was still in bed with the duvet not quite covering me. Freya pulls the elastics on my underwear, poke my bottom and says "Mamma, Good morning! Niiiice bootum (=bottom)" LOL! God, I love the little phrases she comes up with!

We all had a nice breakfast together, I was ready to go by 9.30 when Freya comes up to me and says she's going to Spa too "come on, Mamma, le't's go!" I explained that this was Mamma's day she then asked "Mamma coming back?" "Of course I do honey, Mamma always comes back!" She then hugs my leg and says "Ahhh, Mamma, I love you BIG BIG much!!!"

Am I the luckiest person in the world or what!? I felt like I've just won the lottery!

I arrive at the Spa at 9.45 and the atmosphere grabs you straight away, it's like you walk into another world of peace and relaxation. It smells of flowers, fresh and sweet but not overpowering. There is music, calm and soothing.

I'm led into a room and shown my own wardrobe with everything I need, sarong, disposable underwear(!?), slippers, robe, a little box for my jewelry... my own bathroom, the details they've put into this is amazing.

The therapist tells me to knock on the door when I'm ready so I can change in private. I've brought our little happy snappy camera since I didn't really want to carry around the big one so before I change I take some shots of the room.
I change into my sarong and disposable G-string(!!!) knock the door and the therapist comes back. Tells me to sit down in the rattan armchair for my foot rinse... My feet are placed in a wooden bowl with warm water and flowers, they are being scrubbed and then massaged.

Then I'm told to lay down on the table which is more like a luxury bed, place my face in the round bit in the front, on the floor underneath there's a bowl with black sand and flowers so you have something nice to look at whilst she massage you. Well, I didn't look at it very long, I just closed my eyes and relaxed. The massage was done with long, firm strokes and special pressure points that hurt in a strange good way!? She used hot oil that when first placed on the skin made you go, ahh...that hur...actually that's GOOD!
1 hour and 20 min later I'm in a different world and the massage is over and she starts the facial, just as nice with all the creams and masks you can imagine!

3 hours after I arrived I emerged as a new woman!

I then had a nice lunch with Sean and a walk through the gardens before I continued for my appointment at the hair salon.

I didn't plan on having any coloring or real cutting done just a wash and blow dry...well, 2 kind of highlights, cut with long layers, manicure, pedicure and ANOTHER scalp and neck massage(!!!on the house since it was a special day...ahhh!!! Thanks guys!)

2.5 hours later - I AM a new woman!
The best of all is when I arrive home and Freya saw me she came running but stopped just in front of me and said "Mamma pretty! I like it" LOL!

Had a nice couple of hours with the children before bedtime and when they where down, Sean and i finished of the evening with a laugh at the Craic Attack, stand up comedians.

What better way of saying goodbye and welcome than with a laugh!?

Through out the day I was thinking of why this has been so hard on me and the conclusion is ...I don't know! BUT I have nothing to grieve, I have gained 2 beautiful children, a whole lot of love that never can be replaced with anything. Sure, I've gained a few kg as well but the only way of fixing that is to deal with it and do something about it and I'm the only one who can do that and I will!

So there you go. I had a fantastic day and I am feeling great!

Have a nice day and weekend!

The first day of my "new" life... the "Grand plan"

...starts on Wednesday morning and goes on all day!

Well, I thought of having a little fire in the garden, dance (sort of skipping) around it burning my old clothes that no longer fit and other "old me"related items but then my husband suggested a day to my self with Spa treatments, manicure, pedicure, facial, massage, having my hair done and a romantic lunch for 2 and in the evening go to see the "Craic Attack" (Standup comedians),...hmm... hard choice!

So, I've been checking out the Spas here in Muscat and I've choosen the Chedi Spa (click on the Chedi hotel Muscat, Oman) not too bad eh!?

The "treatment" I'm going to have is called "INDULGENT ORIENTAL RITUAL - *INDIA*" it includes "Aromatherapy Foot Polish (?), Ayurvedic Abhyanga Massage (?!!!), Sundari Ayurvedic Inspired Facial (???!!!)" - Will tell you what all that means and feels like on Thursday.... It takes 3 hours!

Then I'm having lunch with Sean at the same hotel,

to later move on the "Muscat Beauty Salon" for a hair and nail appointment! Am I being spoilt or what!!!

Later same night we are going out for a laugh at the "Craic attack" which is standup comedians from all over the world that comes to Oman once a month - what better way of ending my special day than with a good laugh!

My camera is coming with me so you'll get all the details!

I think this "will do" as a "Goodbye old me, Hello new me" ritual, don't you? ;-)
Needless to say I'm SUPER excited! I've never done anything like this and I'm just going to relax and go with the flow!
I can't wait!!!

Have a nice day!

Rock my world!

This is the man who rocks my world!
Sean loves his bikes and riding off road more than anything else! Since we've had the children and moved back to Oman unfortunately he hasn't done as much of it as he would have liked to, only because he feels he has too little time off work to spend with the family so he doesn't want to give that up to do what he loves.
Honey, you are the best and me and the children appreciate it so much! You rock!!! LY!

Bumps and bikes!

My poor little boy! Kian has had more bumps and bruises in the last 6 months than Freya has had in 2,5 years!!! Honestly! He is a real boys boy! Last one was done today and resulted in a bump on his forehead size of an egg!On top of this he also got a snotty nose, sore throat and a cough! Nothing that seems to bother him too much though! And he's said his first "real" word! Guess what - it was Mamma!!!! Yay! And not just the usual "mamama" no it was straight at me as he reached out with his little arms! "Mamma"! That melts a mothers heart!

Freya has learned how to pedal her trike! She is soooo proud! She loves that bike and if anyone tries to touch it....ooohweee! Don't know who she's inherited that temper from...can't be me! ;-) She pedals faaaast and just got hang of the steering though she sometimes ends up in a wall or running someone over... mainly Kian...hmmm, might be on purpose! She would take the bike to bed if we'd let her!

My plan for the "Goodbye old me" and "Hello new me" is almost complete just a few more bits and pieces than I'll tell you all about it!

Have a nice day!