I'm BAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKK!!!!

So.....................

I've been away for quite some time.............

And I have a VERY GOOD EXCUSE!!!!!

I've been BUYING A BUSINESS!!!!

I am the proud owner/manager of in.cube8r gallery in Fortitude Valley - somebody pinch me please!!!!

I saw the shop in Melbourne on January 17 - I feel in love on that day, and almost 4 months to the day (12 May,) I opened the doors to my own franchise of that very shop!!! And I'm LOVING IT!!!

The few months have been an absolute roller coaster ride of emotions - am I doing the right thing by risking our house and awesome life for this business, this opportunity is too good to be true, if I don't do it now I'll regret it - what if Brisbane isn't ready for this? It's been hard work and there's been all three - blood, sweat & tears - BUT WE MADE IT AND WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS!!!

We've been open for just on 3 weeks now, and the response has been AMAZING!!! So many people love the concept, love the idea, and so many artists also want to be here - it's SO GOOD!!!! I'm so happy that my darling husband supported me in this business, it's the best thing I've done (apart from marry him and have his children!!)

If you want to know more about the shop - visit www.incube8r.com.au - or better yet, come visit me at the shop!!!!!

I'm slowly learning when there are busy times (lunch time on weekdays,) and quiet times (4pm on Saturdays,) so I've decided to spend that time getting back into my own craft, which is what my original plan was for my life - to spend my time doing something I love!!!

So my first project is a scrapped sign for the shop noticeboard, that advertises that we support all things handmade.................so I've bought in my supplies, and I'm quite excited to be able to get back into it - I love doing my scrapbooking and have missed it!! I have heaps of photos that I want to do of my boys that I have missed over the last year, so now in those quiet times in between promoting talented artists, I will also do what I love - THE UNIVERSE IS AMAZING!!!!!

Business Diet

Mark & I recently embarked on a little journey - it's a bit of a secret for now as we are still going through some legal bits and pieces, but soon enough we will have a big announcement (no I'm not pregnant!) but it looks like this year is going to be a big one, and the next couple of weeks are definately going to be FLAT OUT!!!!! If I don't write it's because I've been too busy to - and that's the same reason that I won't be able to eat, too excited with the future that we'll be living in a few months time!!! If you want to lose a few kilos, look into business opportunities, then the weight will start to FALL off for sure!!!

Sorry that I can't tell you more, but it's a life changing momentus occasion, and we've gotta be absolutely prepared to make it the correct decision.

Stay tuned.....................

TV Ratings week has begun!!!

So I would like to admit that I'm a bit of a soapie addict................not the midday Young & the Restless stuff, that's not soap, it's fluff!!! (did you know the origins of the term soapie - it was created by major home grocery manufacturers to put on drama shows in the middle of the day so housewives could have a break, and they would put on all the ads for soap on then, true story!)
Anyway, I'm talking about the prime time stuff - Desperate Housewives, packed to the Rafters, Grey's Anatomy, Brothers & Sisters - shall I go on!?!!!
I love a little escape and it's something that I love to just sit and observe - no judging, no taking it seriously (most of the time,) just an outlet that makes me feel better, as this stuff is happening to someone else, not me!!!!
I really enjoyed watching Desperate Housewives when it first came out - and then one week we had Mark's parents in town - so we all sat down to watch it. Little did I know that my darling husband was about to take all the fun out of the show for me!!! Whenever his mum would ask "Who is that?" Mark would fill her in - "That's Bree, she's seperated from her husband cause he has a S&M fetish, and she is now seeing her pharmacist who tried to kill her husband, but it turned out that because her rebellious gay son left home and was on tv, and she hid a pregnancy of her daughters by taking her up to a nunnery and then claiming the baby as her own - she got involved with another man who was a dentist and had previously tried to kill another neighbour down the road - BUT THAT'S ANOTHER STORY ALTOGETHER!"
So then I sat down and felt a little silly.................but that doesn't stop me now - it's still an escape, and maybe now it's even more so because of the long stories!!!!
I was amazed at Mark's skill to follow the story line when he was recalling the story to his mum - because I always thought he was sleeping while I was watching the show!!! LOL

Little buddha meditating

A few months ago, we went to visit family at the Botanic Gardens...........we've been once during draught conditions, and went back again once there had been some decent rain......it was lovely on both occasions, but the one place that remained the same (and was astonishingly beautiful both times,) was the Japanese Gardens. It is a lovely spot to sit and reflect, and as the photo shows, even my oldest boy got into the 'spirit' and became a little buddha for the day!!!!

I have just finished reading Eckhardt Tolle's workbook that accompanies 'The Power of Now,' and I feel that a part of me has changed, for the better, forever. This book has changed my outlook on life, and much like buddha, I am feeling enlightened and completely conscious. No longer am I angry about past events, for this does nothing to change the situation. No longer am I worried about 'what if' because I can't control the future for everyone. I am focussed on the Now, and I am enjoying the everyday lurks and perks of life. My husband is still hesitant about my behaviour, to the point that he's sometimes trying to stir the angry dragon in me, just so he feels like life is back to normal!!!! But I love him and accept him for what he is - even if he's a pain at times, he is wonderful and everything I've ever wanted in a husband and father!!! Gush Gush I'm feeling a little ill!!!............

So now that I am feeling more confident about the past, I will look to the Now, and keep my eyes open for opportunities whenever they avail themselves to me...............which seems to be happening lately!!!

I am a wonderful child of the Universe, and the Universe looks after me!!!!

Life's mysteries - boys!!!

As I sit down at my laptop with my freshly poured jasmine tea, (with a hint of honey to make it palatable!,) I have started to ponder on the most intriguing creatures in the world - little boys!!! Some may argue that little girls are the most intriguing, but having a house of smelly bums and no pink in sight, I have a tendency to focus on the male of the species!!!!!

In the 6 years that I have been a mother, I have learnt a few things in that time - some are trivial and of no consequence, and some things are so amazing I'm surprised they're not being investigated by Today Tonight!!! Here are a few things just as a start:-

1. From the moment you find out that you're pregnant, you start worrying.

2. From the moment you find out you're having a boy, you (as a woman,) get a little wary of those extra bits that seem to have a mind of their own!!

3. It's perfectly acceptable to be in love with more than one man at a time - I'm currently in love with three of them!!!! Two just happen to be smaller than the larger one!!!

4. There are three stages of boyhood - the first six years they love their mum, the next six or so they love their dad, and the next six after that they loathe both and need other peers in their lives, cause their folks are old and have no idea by then!!!!

5. Boys are wired differently to girls - it's a proven scientific fact!!! It's not that they can't hear you, so don't waste your money on ear candles and ENT Specialists, it's just that what your'e saying isn't interesting or helpful, so best just give up talking and wait for them to come to you - if you succeed at this, please let me know how to do it without going crazy!!!

6. Little boys are only helpless for a few years - not long after they learn how to pee standing up, they will pretty much try and do everything themselves, from buttering their toast, to cutting out your favourite magazine - it's all a learning process, and we as the grown ups are the one's who are learning the most!!

7. When boys have been in trouble, and they look at you with those big beautiful eyes, they know that they are only going to be in half as much trouble - they learn very early on that women are suckers for beautiful eyes - I know it' what got me in trouble in the first place!!!

Next week we'll be having our last few days off before school starts back the next week - so I might just take the time to laugh, dance and enjoy my little boys, cause they will never be this little again!!!

Tick off another thing I've done

So here is the end result of Hayden's Solar System - I'm SO happy with how it turned out!!! This is only one side of his room, but the other side hasn't changed much

, apart from the cupboards being painted in a light grey, the cupboards & bedside table having some small pictures added onto the edges, and one stray satellite sticker has landed on the other side of the room!!! I can finally say that I have finished this task, with the help of my ever patient husband!!! We both tend to start things and not get them finished, but things are going to change - I'm hoping not to take on any more new projects this year, until I've finished the others!!! Next room will be master Thomas with his Dinosaur theme - we are getting rid of his baby stuff and his slide bed, and will be transforming his room before he gets to 4 - with that happening in March we are starting to get things underway now - so by the time his birthday comes around, he'll be dreaming about dancing with dinosaurs!!!!