Oh what a weekend!

Well we've just got back from our weekend away looking at Newcastle University. Well the journey there was awful,we went up the A1 which has road works at every few miles seemingly. What with that and the fact that it's an A road but they've made it up to be a motorway, so you have turnings off it, and people and vehicles crossing it at intervals! So we were all really knackered by the time we got to our hotel, looking forward to a nice restful sleep.
Mmmm, that wasn't about to happen, we'd chosen a quite cheap hotel, and apart from a few bloodstains on the walls and the carpet looking like it hadn't been vacuumed for months, it wasn't too bad. The bed was comfy and there was the regulation telly on the wall so we were all set. However come 3am, the other residents all chose to come back from the nightclubs, and shout and scream and run up and down the corridor outside our room for 2 hours.
So we weren't in the best frame of mind the following morning to go to the open day at the university. It was ok, but Ben didn't really rate it as somewhere he'd put as his 1st or 2nd choice.
So all in all a long and tiring weekend, and to top it all when we got home (we went on the M1 this time, much better) someone over the back was having a party with music so loud it was better suited to Glastonbury. So another sleepless night, and we've got to go back to work on Monday....:(

I've just got back from the Great big Stamp and Scrapbooking show at Alexander Palace, didn't spend much this time, just bought a couple of new papers and some stamps. There's nothing new about at the moment so no temptation to buy!!
Back to work tomorrow after 2 weeks off, don't really want to go but I know I have to!

We've just come back from the lovely island of Tenerife. A week just isn't long enough! Only just got into the swing of relaxing when it was time to go home!
Ian spent every morning in the gym, while I either shopped or sunbathed around the pool.
Got rather burnt on the first day, that'll teach me to buy cheap suncream! Must buy a decent brand next time! So I looked rather like a tomato for most of the week, and had to cover my burnt bits up to prevent further agony. Oh well at least my arms look nice and brown! I am now peeling like some rabid animal, shedding skin faster than a rattlesnake.
Laura and Ben looked after themselves, they seem to be OK, no signs of obvious malnutrition, although the bin was full of Pot Noodle cartons and Dominos pizza boxes. Hmmm...
Well all I've got to do now is get my holiday photos printed then I can start scrapbooking them. Ooh.. I need some new papers for that, I may just have to go to the Big Stamp and Scrapbooking show on Sunday to se if they have anything suitable...
Before that though we're going to Newcastle tomorrow to look at Newcastle University for Ben. It's a long drive so I'll have to take a book or two.. Staying the night up there in Geordie land. Why aye man..
Well I'd better go and have another go at editing my holiday snaps in Photoshop Elements, does anyone really understand how it works???

Birds galore!

Today we went to the RSPB site at Rainham marshes in Essex. Ian, Ben and I walked round the reserve, it took about an hour and a half. The weather was really lovely, sunny and warm, a change from what it has been like this week. We saw herons, egrets, toads, frogs, spiders and loads of other birds I was unable to identify!
Only one day now till we go to Tenerife, I can't wait! Going to get the euros tomorrow, and the last few essential bits.
No scrapbook pages this week (again), hopefully I'll get divine inspiration after we came back from holiday! All those lovely (hopefully) photos!
Till then, ta ra.

This is my life!!

Hello to all you blog fans out there. This is my first blog, so you'll have to bear with me while I get the hang of it!!
I'm a mum of two, to Laura, 19, and Ben, 17. I'm married to Ian, we've been married 25 years next Wednesday, so it's our Silver anniversary. To celebrate we're off to Tenerife next Tuesday for a week.
I'm passionate about scrapbooking and love buying loads of new stash. My favourite things to buy are papers, I have so many papers that I'll probably never use. I have scrappers block at the moment, it's been a while since I've actually done a page! I'm hoping that the pictures I take on holiday will inspire me!!
Today my son Ben went back to school,he's in his last year of 6th form, doing his A-levels. He wasn't too thrilled to be going back today, but, hey, who would be after they'd just had 6 weeks off? He knows he's got to put in loads of work this year to achieve the results he needs to go to university next year.
My daughter Laura goes back to university soon, she's re-starting at Hertfordshire Uni after completeing a year at Coventry University and transferring. She was very homesick up there and says she's much happier now she's going to stay at home.
Well we're going to pick our tickets up today for our holiday so I'd better be off!