Been thinking about a few things over the last few days.

Times have changed. Traditions have really gone out the window or happen that rarely we don't often see them. Is the tradition of getting married effected by this? Should you just have a 'BBQ' if you are doing it a second time around?
A lot of questions, no real answers. Socially its OK. Even in the catholic church. Are you allowed or should you wear white the second time around? Should it matter? If you are paying for it, shouldn't you be allowed to do whatever you want. Why do people have to "put their 2 cents in"
And having children from a previous marriage, what does that make me? What does that make them? Most people who meet my children are impressed. I think I still have some old fashioned values left in me. We sit down to eat as a family. Children are children and Bill and I are the adults and the kids know where the line is.
I guess when you are marrying into a family there can be no real easy way, but when there are children involved people want to all of a sudden pick your life apart and tell you were you went wrong.
Shouldn't it come down to who's happy, and that should be all that matters?
Just in case there was any doubts. I am having the dress.. and the veil. And the rose petals. Nearly the whole "shebang" but with our own little twist. I think the first time around I possibly did it for the wrong reasons, even tho I had children, it seemed like the final thing I could do to save what was left of my marriage.
This time around, its so different. Life is different. I have a 17year old for petesake! I have matured, I have found the things I want and distanced myself from the things that I don't want.
I guess at the end of the day it doesn't matter. As each bride will say..... "Do what you want...its your day" So that's what I intend to do.

Its not about the wedding. Its not about the trimmings. Its not even about the presents. We have everything we need. Its about telling the man that I love that I want to get up for the rest of my life at 4 in the morning to pack his lunch and have a cup of tea with him. Telling him that I will be there waiting up when he gets a call out in the middle of the night

We have had a pretty cool eventful last few days since I posted last. Lots of things have happened.
The boys won their Friday night game! Was a good game this week. They played as a team and managed to defeat Arana Hills 26-20.
April stayed at a friends house, so it was just Bill and I, Samantha and Liv. Liv was happy enough to be there just for the lollies and the half time run on the field. She pretended to support her brother with the occasional "Go Levi" but it was obvious that she was more interested in the boy next to her. Funny child.
Sam and 15 or so of her friends headed off to Iceworld for her party on Saturday night. I was the driver of course. "Mum, do you know where you are going? Do you want the map to check? How about we call Bill?"
Don't be silly, of course I know where I am going. But... maybe we will call Bill.. just to make sure. Little tip. Don't get Sam to take directions. You will end up at Redcliffe!! No where near Bracken Ridge!! The 6 giggling girls that I had in the van thought it was quite funny, I am sure I would have be the joke at school on Monday! They decided when I went back to pick them up that they wanted Maccas.. so off I go. Geeze, I am not sure if I would go back and do 17 again. Looked like fun, but I am just tooo old to be part of it. Although Sam always says how cool it is when her friends ask how old her Mum is and she says 34
Sunday we took Levi, April and Liv to the Sunny Coast for a swim at Kings Beach. Was nice. I didn't swim, no where near warm enough for me to get in the water, but I did throw the footy around with Levi for a while. Liv made sandcastles, and April got heaps of praise from the boys for her boogy board abilities!
Sunday night we decided to take the kids out for a "Surprise" Liv was sooo sure that it was High-5 and tried to tell us all just how much fun it would be. Boy... was she disappointed when we rocked up at Lonestar for Steak and Mashed Tato! Yummy!
"That's it.. that's the surprise... just a star???? High-5 was much better!!" Lets just say the nuggets, chips and lemonade were still not enough for her to be impressed as she was still going on about High-5 on the way home! All you hear is someone say "Liv?" "Yeah?" "SHUTUP!!"
Monday Bill and I did some last minute things for the wedding. Downloaded and paid for an amazing piece of software that just made doing the seating plan sooo much easier. You can say who you don't want next to who, those that like each other and those that do.
Perfect Table Plan just made life so much easier.
So its all go from here. I am getting so excited, and so is Bill. ... yay!!

Bee good everyone, take care

Again I have been a little slack in posting. I just can't seem to get myself going. Its a horrible feeling. So many feelings going around inside at the moment. Liv is scratchy. Sam turned 17, Levi and his football and April just being herself... Where is the time for Jacqui. There just doesn't seem to be any time left for me, and I always seem to be feeling sick.

Its been a long few days. I have been down and miserable.

But today I had to push myself out of it. Which was hard. I went to Spotlight for some more cake supplies, put our wedding goblets into be engraved. And came home to start the mammoth task of more cupcakes! Yeahah!
Today I made Caramel Mud Cupcakes, and Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes. Yummo. I don't think I will use the Choco-Raspberry ones for the wedding.. too moist. But they are delicious and the Caramel ones are devine! Ask the kids!!
So after a few hours in the kitchen, I feel much better, can't seem to eat anything tho.. but I am drinking heaps of water. And.. I am off to an aqua class tonight. I am sure that will make be feel so much better. Can't wait.

I know I can get myself back on track Post again soon!!

Wow, I haven't posted for a few days. Actually I think last Wednesday was the last time i posted. I just got a little busy!

Thursday I had lunch with my photographer, check them out at Brischetto Images
She also happens to be my little sis and very good at what she does. Her hubby helps her and together I know they make an awesome team. So that was a very nice way to spend most of my Thursday, and on top of that.. it was at my old hangout, The Hyperdome. That was one of the first things that I said to Leanne, I miss this place.

Friday was a busy day. Bill and I took the kids to their dads early, except Levi, who went to school so he could play league on Friday night.

We stopped at IKEA, some shoe shops, and a few other places on the way home. Shopping on the southside of Brisbane is soooo much better than the north. For a start the people are nicer and you seem to get more bargains!

We took Levi to his game Friday night. Mario and Leanne, and Levi's personal fan club AKA Jelica turned up to watch the game. We didn't play too well this week. I won't even say what the score was... far too embarrassing, but you have to lose sometime I guess. Then we dropped Levi off at his dads and drove the longest way home possible...

Saturday we bought a dryer, and Sunday we put it on the wall in the laundry. That was a task and a half. We also bought a new blind for the kitchen, now I can hang the curtain on the sliding door. Its all nearly finished.

In amongst the hussle and bussle of the weekend, Bill and I had the best time. Time on our own. Time for us. Its so nice. The more time we are together, the better it gets. Feels pretty awesome!


everyone bee safe and happy!!

While surfing the web yesterday, a little bored I must say, I did an EBay search for cupcakes. You see, I am making my wedding cake. Well.. not so much a cake, but cupcakes. It seems to be the 'in thing' at the moment, and as far as I can see, if you can bake, you can make your own.
I have organised the hire of a cupcake tree, five layers descending in size, to put them on. And even with flowers (icing) it still works out about $400 dollars cheaper than paying someone to do it!!

So I did a Google search for cupcakes, images really. For inspiration. I already pretty much know what I want to do, but it never hurts to research these things. One of the pages to come up on the search was this Cupcakes.

Well after scrolling the page at least 3 times, I wondered to myself why the hell someone would be selling cupcakes on EBay.. then the penny fell. Silly Jacqui. They aren't real. Made from plaster I would imagine.
OK.. then I thought ... WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU WANT TO PUT FAKE CUPCAKES ON DISPLAY!! Unless you were a bakery of course..
LOL! Lets just say my sister thought it was funny. AND they were advertised as 'shabby' Now I am up on this, I kinda know what it means. But all I could see was the kids faces when I told them they were shabby, and then watched to see how long it took to figure it out that they weren't real!
There is a huge market for these things. And don't get me wrong. I think its great if people can make some money out of fake cupcakes. But... why would you??

Wish I had have thought about it

I woke up this morning feeling like crap. Truely. And I went to bed feeling pretty good, so I am not sure what it was. Maybe I didn't sleep very well.
I had so much trouble getting out of bed. It took till lunch for me to feel ok, ok enough to get to the shops.
With this wheat problem, I used to wake up every morning feeling sick. Thats what I had this morning. My stomach feeling like morning sickness, everyday. It got to the point where I just accepted it for what it was. My life. Then we thought about the wheat problem (thanks dad!) I had a test for Celiac, and when it came back negative, I was pleased. Liv was starting to present with the same problems. Her problem is alot worse than mine. She can't have Jelly! What child can't have Jelly! Glucose syrup is wheat based (most) and it causes her to break out in hives. There is a massive list of things that she can and can't have, alot bigger than mine. Or maybe its that I just won't stop eating the things I know I shouldn't have. I pay for it later tho.
The worst one I have found lately, have been preservatives. I have to read every single label. Bill got me a bottle of water the other day from the service station, just a Pump, but one of the new Pumps, with the flavor. Its water. Simple as that.
No. It wasn't. Within 10 mins, my stomach was cramping.

So now I watch, everything that I put in my mouth. Good news is tho, chocolate is fine!!!

Oh, and a piece of comedy for the day. I went to the shops to send some more invites, and I fogot my purse. Liv thought it was the funniest thing in the world. Even telling the lady behind the counter that her "silly mummy had forgotten her purse! It is on the table at home, how silly!!" Yes, very silly, very funny.
Until I told her she couldn't have ANYTHING because I forgot my purse. You know, the one that is on the table at home. Funny enough, it wasn't funny anymore.

Bee good! Keep smiling

Yesterday wasn't the best. My clothes dryer (Leanne's ex dryer) just decided that it would have a holiday. And Bill thought he might be able to fix it, but alas.. it has gone to 'Dryer Heaven'.
Someone thinks I should be hanging clothes on the line. Hrmm, wish someone would stay home and do 2 loads a day.
Lets just say it wasn't the best day we have had for a while. And on top of that, April had a friend staying over, and we promised to take them to the beach. It didn't happen. After I snapped out of my 'mood' we went to the swimming pool for a coulple of hours, seemed to put a smile on their face.
This reminded me that I have been slack. I have a gym membership that I haven't used in months. And the woman at the desk decided to comment on that fact! "Oh... you haven't been... for .... umm, months" "Yes yes, I know" I said as I pushed the girls through the gate at some alarming speed!
Ok, so maybe it was the kick in the pants that I needed, so I have loaded up the MP3 player, charged the battery, and told Liv she can go for a swim after I have tried to kill myself at the gym. I get that look, you know. The one that says.. You are nuts mum... It has been a while, I might just colapse and never be able to walk again

Anyways, I'll let you all know how I go.
Take it all very easy

Last night was Levi's first game of the season. And true to Levi's style, when he makes a try, he does it so very very well!. He played on the wing last night, and hes lightning fast. He made a 50 maybe 60 metre high speed run down the field, with 6 Redcliffe players in hot pursuit, constantly looking over his shoulder to see just how far away they were, straightened it up and dived on that ball right under the posts! It was soooo awesome to see. Because they were a team last year, and there are only a few new players, they play so well together.
By the end of the game it was a draw.. 26 all. And it was so close
Should be an indication of what the season should be like! Yeahah!

Yesterday was my weekly weigh-in for Tony Ferguson Diet, and I am pleased to say I have lost 1.7 kilos this week.

And I have been lazy.. so very lazy.. would you consider running around after 4.. no wait 5 kids all day excercise?? (I had to add Bill as a kid )So its all good, going on track. I have been told I can't lose too much, as nothing will fit me. Ah... hello.. nothing fits me now!

Be happy...

I finally got my invites done, I have sent the ones that are going overseas, and those for my family. Bill's mum said not to post the others yet, so Monday I send the rest out.

I am so happy that they are finally done!

Every one was different. I used different coloured card for each card, with a contrasting coloured card with the menu and our poem on it. I have also done the namecards, which again are all the different colours. I used chocolate brown, forest green, deep reds, mustard and lighter shades of brown.
Our original plan for colours was for an autumn theme, but here in Aus, we don't have the autumn colours that other countries have. The colours have been used for the clothes, Bill's suit and other things.

The total cost was around $50, plus I bought a cutting machine, which after cutting about 3 pieces of scrapbooking paper, I was very pleased to have it!
And I have to say, it was a love-hate relationship I had going on with the invites, and the only real hic-cup I had was the printing on the envelopes.
But it all worked out in the end, now I am looking for something else to occupy my time

Quick update..

I have since been to the shop again, gotten new envelopes, cheaper and better than the other ones. So I am off tomorrow to take the other ones back.

All good!!

Heya


I tested the oven yesterday (new house) and am pleased to say, it cooked the cupcakes perfectly. Even with Liv cracking the eggs for me (she did a better job than I normally do.. no shell!!) So for the next few weeks its cupcakes all around, so that when I come to make them all the day before the wedding.. I will be able to do it with my eyes closed! Bill's mum has already made the fruit cake that is sitting in my cupboard, so the stress won't be too bad and I save us about $400. Gotta be happy with that.

On other news..
I had my first hiccup today. Thought I was going famously. I left this morning to get the rest of the cardboard for the invites (I am picky, so they have to be perfect) called into a little clothing shop that was off the beaten track just on the off chance that they would have something for the girls to wear. Do you know how hard it is to find a dress for an 8 year old?? Geeze, anyone would think I was asking for blood. Sure, if it was red and black stripes... You can have whatever you want.
Anyways, I called into this shop, and done! All good, the girls have something to wear, in my colours, I am happy.
Then onto Lincraft to get the envelopes for the invites.. Same ones as last time, just to be sure. Then onto Coles to get some butter, drink for Liv, nothing really exciting. Then the rest of the cardboard, then home. 10.30 and I am back here all ready to go with the printing. I do the dishes and then sit down here.
Open word, away I start to print (Yes I did a pre-test print) so when I put the gold envolopes in the printer.. well, lets just say it looks like it has been done with dots. And at $10 a packet, I am not happy. So now I have to decide if I want to get labels.... or new envelopes.
Oh the drama.
I will take some pics today and post them up when everyone has got an invite. So you can all see the hassle that I am talking about!

Now... what else can I spend it on


Bee good now, take care

Well hey everyone,
Was just reading my sis's blog at 5.30 this morning. Who gets up that early? Anyways, shes doing a weight-loss blog, motivational journal. I liked the idea, and I like blogger, so I thought I would start my own here as well as MSN.
Mine will just be rants and raves, like my msn one, but I like the layout of this one more, so over time I will change it over, so keep reading, leave me a comment every now and again. Let me know there are some other life forms on this planet.

I will also be posting stuff about the wedding.. not dribble, well there may be the occasional dribble, but I will try to post some useful stuff, just in case anyone wants to put themselves in shackles in the future!

Ok, so, check back in the next few days, have some more for you to read then.
Bee good, take care.
I'm off to have breakfast!