Day 23- Something you crave for a lot

Hard one! ..... lets do a list

• It shouldn't be at the top but Chocolate - GF brownie being the latest but any Dark good chocolate!
• Happiness, Laughter and the feeling to be alive - this is a recent craving the more i get the more i want 
• My family - immediate and extended the older i get the more i'd love to really catchup like back in the day - I think of you all often! oh i can't wait for Christmas!
• Knowledge - i love reading books on Health & Wellbeing, Cooking & Gardening
• A White Christmas - one day i plan for my family to spend Christmas in the snow
• Relaxation  ... in many forms and any form i can get my hands on 
• Fresh Air xxx

Day 22- What makes you different from everyone else

err .. my DNA?!!? ... seriously though, honestly i can't answer this.

I've been thinking and thinking about it lately (as you'll notice a few of these posts go up at once - but are written over days sitting on the browser until they seem 'complete') & this one i'm struggling with - this may be a reflection of my self esteem level? or my ability to attract people with the same views as mine?? i just don't know .....

I'd like to think i'm special and of course i am in the sense that there is no one else like me out there in this world we are living in ... but more than that, i'd like to think that the impact i make on those around me is one that isn't easily forgotten - But its hard to put into words here, I'm not one to boast about myself - yes i have talents & skills that not everyone has - we all do, but when i look at myself i just see me. 

Actually i was talking to a friend about how somethings are unexplainable - like how they just are - the love you feel for someone or the way home is just home - and i'm thinking this is one of those things - maybe you need to tell me what you see ..... 

In an attempt to get comments from the many who frequent my blog ....

What do you see that makes me different?

Day 21- A picture of something that makes you happy

i could put many photos here .. children's laughter, drawings, smiles, the beach, my beautiful rose garden, my friends, the smell of essential oils, a fresh batch of baking, any type of achievement, a room full of crafty supplies, my family, diving into a pool on a hot day, a massage, relaxation, yoga, inner piece, animals, butterflies, spending time muddling the water or laying in the sun feeling the warmth of the world we're in, an organised house, a room full of my family, a present made with love, the feeling of love, passion and touch, music, reading a good book (as in the non fiction type), a cup of herbal tea from my garden, rainbows ... the list goes on and theres things that shouldn't be written here on it as well ;)

But heres a picture that i love & plan to put on a canvas for myself one day (soon)

It makes me happy as it reminds me that i'm the one in charge of my life 
- powerful stuff & oh to true -

Day 20- Someone you see yourself marrying/being with in the future

He'll kill me for this but here:

I guess thats what can happen when you take a pic on your wifes phone and upload it as her wallpaper ..... (was great though i love the little things that people do to plan a smile on my face - they really make me melt!)

but seriously i should follow it with this one, its what he looks like most of the time during the work week: 

This is my husband ... certainly the person i saw my future with.

Why? .. well our values match, hes an amazing father, has passion for most/if not all things he does, i can depend on him even though his job is full on, he really pays attention to the needs around him - he would stop and help anyone out almost to the point that he really does put others before himself, of course he has flaws but who doesn't (& lets face it i can live with and work on those ;) ), he puts his heart into our future in creation, he really has amazing talents in creating things and fixing things up to save a $ or two, he supports me and i know he really loves me unconditionally - i just hope i pay him the same back.

Love you Noodle!

Day 18- Plans/dreams/goals you have

Okay so this is a long post if i sat down and wrote all thats in my head & its interesting timing as Mark said we should sit down and put another dream board together, but I don't have the time for that at the moment so heres just a wee something from my page who am i?:

(Also lets face it at the moment all i have to do is look around me and i'm where i want to be)

. . . . I aspire to . . . .

- Be Myself - Happy, Loved, and full of life.

- Be the best mum i can and teach my children the basics, while supporting them to be themselves.

- Learn the art of photography - to be the one behind the lens capturing the beauty in a picture forever.

- Always see that the highs of life are just around the corner, no matter how low i may be feeling.

- Let nature support me, as my family and i work with it to create gardens of self sufficiency with happy healthy lives.

-Love others as they love me, and show people the thanks they deserve.

- Smile daily and be thankful for the road i have walked thus far, in my path of life.

Day 19- Nicknames you have; why do you have them

So at one stage in my teen years i can remember I sat down and counted 21 'nick-names' (maybe mostly thanks to having a big sister?) ... not sure i'd have than many now but lets see (not sure if i should be embarrassed or not about some):

My name: Samantha


& lets face it the main person that calls me that is mum - at least its not always when i've done something wrong these days although i still can hear her and the tone she uses if i am.  I think some of my friends do use my full name to? 


Nicknames....


Sam - obvious shorten and the name i get called the most 
Samon - came about in my teens from somewhere and has now changed a touch to Samin - from hubby
Sammy - My Granddad calls me this mainly
Mama - From my other grandparents although the older i get the less they use it
Manfa - From my sister and parents i think originally my sister couldn't say Samantha? (i'm sure she can correct me if i'm wrong)
Saminanthina - From my sister followed with some originals - Runka & Chickamore .... maybe she can explain where they came from .... in response she got Dickwad & others i'm sure that i can't recall at present -- gotta love ya big sisters xx


Seems the others have faded away now isn't that the way as we move through life and friends change -- have to say i'm glad to have seen some slip away too haha! 


But have i forgotten any? ... feel free to add them my lovelies xxx

Day 17- Someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why

Ok - so this made my mind wonder! ... i started thinking rich and famous ... then animals but i think I've settled on my husband .... odd choice you may think right? ... but i have some reasons for this:

• I love my husband (again obvious fact) but like everyone we have our differences and i respect that, however to be him for a day i think it would help me gain more of an insight into why he does the things he does that irritate me .... then they may not irritate me and i'd live a bit more stress free ;)
• I want to understand more about what he does and goes though in a day at his work ... and vis versa! a day with the kids is more of a challenge then it looks although may have to swap for longer than one day to learn this ;)
•  I could make a few changes while i was there right?? 
• Relationships are ongoing work - its a fact and the work needs to be two sided or the relationship wont work so to see it from his view would interest me - yip call me curious!
• Then again do i really want to learn more about him? ...... maybe i should swap with someone famous instead - hard choice though huh!

Day 16- Another picture of yourself

Me on our wedding day (obviously?) @ Pukekura Park

... I love the way the dress sits in this photo...

I had my dress custom made by my Great Aunty Joan - so i never went though the experience of dress shopping with my mother.  But it was all that i wanted it to be - Silver skirt with silver lace over white panel & halter top .... every bride has the right to feel like a princess & it was an amazing day!

I still can't rate our photographers - Roger & Bob from Freezeframe Fhotographics

highly enough - we were one of their earlier weddings they covered and they are an amazing team! ... always making sure the small details were sorted (down to the chain on my necklace!!) We had our photos before we said 'I do' and it was great to settle the nerves.

Day 15- Put your iPod on shuffle: First 10 songs that play

I'm not lucky enough to have an iPod .... but heres the first 10 on my computer shuffle

1. John Mayer - Love Soon
2. Katy Perry - Fireworks
3. The Beatles - With a little help from My Friends
4. Pink Floyd -  Another Brick in the Wall
5. Bon Jovi - Bed of Roses
6. Elton John - I Want Love
7. Split Enz - Message to My Girl
8. John Mayer - Comfortable
9. S V - Burn For You
10. Brooke Fraser - Without You

Interesting collection huh?! .. there is a fair bit of music i like thats not on the computer though

Day 14- A picture of you and your family

Family ... well theres a word that sits close to my heart ... with Christmas coming up I really can't wait to catch up with the 'Blakes' my Mums, mums blood line - i haven't been to their Christmas gathering for years and i'm really looking forward to it as i have my own children to watch run around with the next generation of relies as I used to. 

 Its really hard though when you marry as all of a sudden your family doubles + you create one of your own, this Christmas my sister in law is back from the UK and i'd love to have my children spend Christmas with their auntie but we can't be everywhere ... i'm sure i'm not the only one that feels pulls

Okay ... so heres some photos ... BIG family photos! 

... all of the family @ our wedding a few years ago now

Brown / Riddick Family - My Dads Bloodline

Blake / Fowler  Family - My Mums Bloodline

and the family I Married into:

Hasler Family (Marks Mums side)

Goodin Family (Marks Dads side)

and i can't resist adding this family picture again from my sisters wedding:

I do love family pictures ... am hoping to get my sister to take some of my family at the beach when she is up at Easter 2011 

Day 13- A letter to someone who has hurt you recently

When I first read on the list that this post was coming up i thought that it would be great, a wonderful way to 'rid' any hurt i'm feeling, also as when i was younger letters seemed to be a big part of my communication with some friends & was important to me - looking back the letters were probably full of crap but still - theres nothing like receiving mail from those you love.

BUT to write a letter to someone whom has hurt me doesn't actually come naturally anymore for a couple of reasons:

• It feels like i'm back in high-school writing notes to friends .. and honestly i'm not the person i used to be writing letters instead of just talking to someone anymore .... Yip i went thought a large amount of bullying at through-out my schooling - for whatever reason (Believe me - I've blamed it on every part of who i am at some stage) and instead of letting it control me I've moved past it.  Past the crying, the low feelings and the time that i spent really caring about something that probably meant nothing to the other people involved.  I've really learnt from it that if you want to let it affect you it will ... if you want to forget about it and move on then you will.  End of the day there is only so much we can control in our lives and so long as we make the most from what we can then hurt will be overridden by happiness.
• I see mail as a good thing now - and to send a letter of hurt or if i received one it would really hurt so i choose not to live that way.
• I actually don't have any 'hurt feelings' in me ... i guess I've dealt with them!
• Although I put my heart into all that I do - after talking to a friend last week I have learn't that to avoid getting hurt, don't set your expectations in others - just take them for who they are and concentrate on yourself - giving you 100% .... don't rely on others to 'make' you happy control it yourself.

The other big thing that i have learn't about hurt is that a lot of the time a person actually doesn't set out to hurt you ... sometimes they actually can't change the circumstances that have lead to your disappointment and feeling of hurt.  If it does occur then the best thing to do is actually talk to the person/people involved asap and resolve the feelings rather than hold onto them and build a grudge as it really doesn't lead to happiness .... and honestly i'd choose happiness anytime over the feeling of hurt and disappointment.

Yip thats 'the new' me, full of warmth and love ... no room for hurt anymore - been there done that!! ... the world is a better place when you just smile.

(hope this makes sense .... its written amongst talking to the girls)

Day 12- How you found out about Blogger and why you made one

well ... i think it was Hannahs blog over @ Rainbow Child that i was reading when i thought of creating my own - so just followed the instructions and created my space ... as its says above: 
"A web page that i call my-own - among many in cyber space. It is a collection point for my inspiration, passion and creativity .... may it also inspire you with every breath"

Day 11- Another picture of you and your friends

okay so i'm cheating here ... I've decided to share photos from my hubby's 30th celebrations that we had over the weekend.  It was a great night with some friends and family, we stoked up the pizza oven and it was all go!  I wanted to make him an R18 cake but he was a bit shy so i went with a banana & chocolate cake with his favorite - flakes & M&M's - so yum but man what are we meant to do with the half we have left? ..... i think its time to get out and exercise more!!

So he finally crawled into bed at 4am after hitting the top shelf .... needless to say - the day after was written off after we had cleaned up

Day 10- Songs you listen to when you are Happy, Sad, Bored, Hyped, Mad

So my music i listen to huh?

Its rather varied from relaxation music or the radio to Pink Floyd or whatever Techno Mark has on, in that matter we also listen to a lot of children's rhymes and music, but me if i had my choice - I love John Mayer and he has a song for every mood ... even a Christmas song I found this morning (tis the season) - but one of his that sits above the rest is Comfortable ... actually i've only just changed the CD in the car to one thats not Mayer (or has him on it) since a close friend brought me his CD last Christmas.

Yesterday i took a liking to this song:

Firework by Katy Perry ... yes thanks to finding via MSN that a good friend was listening to it, i googled it found this clip and got hooked - such a great mood lifting song, not to mention the kids love dancing to it ;) 


Heres the last mood lifting song i came across:





Something in the water by Brooke Fraser ... nothing like a good song to sing along to really.


When i'm sad or down quite often i find this slip into my head 





Evanescence - My Immortal ... i quite often find watching this clip can get tears flowing.


But as a sum up ... I'd listen to anything, i'm not fussy with music just certainly have favorites - those strong lyric'd sing along ones ;)

  

Day 09- Something you’re proud of in the past few days

okay ... so i'm posting one for each member of my family here, I'm so proud of all of them and often stop and think how grateful I am as well.

Mark: 

Easy - how can you not be proud of such an accomplishment! .. he's one step of creating a pizza oven for our backyard!

Isn't it just so cool!

Emma:

Last night just before we had dessert she said a Karakia, this is from her learnings at preschool.  Now it certainly wasn't perfect @ 9pm (when really she should have been in bed) .. there were actions and mumbles, but it was so heart warming for her to share something so special on her dads birthday.

Rebecca:

At such a young age (1.5yr) there are so many things to be proud of as a mother.  One of these moments was her ability to help her sister set the table without aid from myself.  In our family our girls help hands on with whats going on (so long as mums in the patient mood).  This moment made me realise just how fast my baby is growing up - i know sometimes were so busy and keep treating them as babies, but when you start giving them the responsibility then they also become proud of themselves.

Myself:

This ones a hard one as i'm not that big on self gratitude.  

I guess i'm proud of myself for getting the glasshouse weeded, composted & ready for another round of growth to feed the family - there really is nothing better then producing your own food.

Day 08- Short term goals for this month and why.

I always have goals in my head but very seldom do i write them down (i should i know!) So heres this months:

• Weed the gardens after the spring weed growth (then hopefully keep on top of them)
• Provide my Husband with a 30th to remember - should be easy as we can hardly forget when the pizza oven was constructed
• Start on my Santa Sewing list - This year i'm going back to basics with our family Christmas and making it 'Home Made' ... nothing like gifts constructed with love and thought - i hope to teach my children that Christmas is not commercial but about Family - making time to catchup with those whom you seldom see,
• Try (i say try as its a big task for me) and sort out the office ... if i'm brave i'll take a before picture
• Complete the 30 posts of me :) (yes you'll find there may be two or three per day now as i'm behind ;) )

Day 07- A picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you

The last biggest personal impact was the birth of my second child Rebecca, I love being a mum with my complete heart and then some if it was there to give them. 

Life has certainly changed since I added such a responsibility, but not a day has come where I've regretted it.  Passing on the traditions and values Mark and I both hold close from the teachings we've been given are endless and priceless.  Watching our children grow fills me with true admiration for my own parents - respect over the decisions i never understood and understanding as to all the small things that didn't make me think twice at the time.

My children teach me something everyday (well on the days i'm open to learn from them). From the simple things like patience to helping me stop and open my eyes to just how amazing they are.

Of-course theres a part of me that misses independence and the freedom you have without the additions but it just makes the nights you get a break even more worth it.

With our kids came another impact on our life - we moved rural! and i love it ... - the open views of the mountain and sea

- the friendliness of the community

- the interactions our children have with the surrounding animals and nature

theres actually not much i miss about living in town at all one year after the big move.

Day 06- Favorite Superhero and Why

I'm not one to follow superheros - not sure if thats a girl thing or not?

But when i think of superheros the first one that come to mind would be Superman.

  Maybe it has more to do with watching the 1990 series of The New Adventures of Superman, Clark Kent (Dean Kane) & Louis Lane (Teri Hatcher), rather then superman himself.

In general though i do like that superheros help out the general population, coz lets face it life does get challenging and to think that maybe a super hero would turn up and help out in times of need is a tad reassuring right? (crazy to think as well but lets not talk about that) - and I for one know that I do have real superheros in my life ... my friends & family.  It sure is amazing how at times they show up when things get tough & for that i love each and every one of them, they may never know just how much it means to me. ... and you never know some of them may lead double lives haha!

Day 05- A picture of somewhere you’ve been to

 So I haven't traveled the globe and don't see that happening any time soon but so far in my life I've jumped the ditch to Aussie years ago, been on a surprise honeymoon in Fiji, but the most eventful of all was travelling to Port Craig at the start of the year.

It was for my sisters wedding - now we always knew that her wedding would be somewhere remote and somewhat low key but this certainly topped the cake, for us anyway with a 11 month old and almost 3 yr old.

Our Journey:

Day One ....

Drive from New Plymouth to Auckland and stay the night at the lovely Bucklands Beach Motel with my Aunty ... at the end of the day the kids were pleased to get out of the vehicle 

Day Two ....

Jump on a plane to Queenstown ...

Then drive to Tuatapere ... was great to get there and let the kids out i tell you! 

Day Three ...

  and where almost there!

This is the Port Craig Village .... note the 'lack of roads' ... to get to the venue you could either walk a few hours or grab a helicopter ride.

You guessed it! ... i'm not the fittest and with two children walking wasn't really an option after the journey thus far so we took the easy way while Hubby walked with the rest of the wedding guests.

I also had to get there early as i had a job to do ....

Emma helped as i iced the cake:

Day Four .....

We celebrated on the beach with sand-flys and all

Day Five:

Fly back out to Tuatapere 

Day Six:


up before dawn to drive back to Queenstown for our flight back to Auckland

Then that night we trekked home to Taranaki ... the kids were besides themselves when we got home it was a mammoth task ... but it sure was for a wonderful reason and the memories are life long.

Day 04 - A habit that you wish you didn’t have

Hording! .... I know I know just throw stuff away right?

but its just not that easy

The reason I wish I didn't horde things is because i think it would help me keep the house a tad more clutter free - i'd love to think that one day it would be clutter free anyway (I can dream right?) 

It would also be great if everything could always be put back in its place and you'd know exactly where to find it.  With a husband and two children i feel like i'm forever chasing my tail with this and would rather not feel like i spend most of my time cleaning up and putting things back - over spending time with my girls (who do at-times help me put things away of course)

BUT the reason that i'm glad that both myself and my husband horde, is because things ALWAYS seem to come in handy!  Being a crafter i can normally see a way to use something by up-cycling it and i hate the idea that i'm adding to the tonnes of rubbish that head for landfills every year if i just throw things out - so i put things aside waiting for that moment of free time i can get-to and create the next master piece. Then the 'put-a-side' pile grows and so on until that one day you know exactly the thing your wanting to use.

I do have to mention however that after shifting house i'm so glad that we 'horded' the taps from the old bathroom we redecorated ... as they are now in use in our 'new' bathroom - perfect right, nothing better then saving money as well as putting items to use.  

Also means that everyday i seem to be reminded that hording comes in handy so just de-stress and live amongst the slight amount of clutter we have from hording.

Day 03- A picture of you and your friends.

Now here a tough one ... for some reason i'm normally behind the camera or all the photos are of the kids! ... but I've found a couple (that i hope no one minds me sharing here)

Firstly a bunch of greatly talented friends (some who left before a picture was taken) who get together weekly for a night off from the kids :) ... not sure where i'd be without these ladies they are so wonderful xx

Some more really great friends. These were taken on a night out in town

(Yip love you Mary - hope you don't kill me) 

... we sure did have a great night too - whens the next one?

A friend I have had for life - My big sister Bobbie ... how beautiful is she!

And friends from Years ago ....

Nothing like digging up those old school photos huh - that was my last year at primary school.

Day 02- The meaning behind your Blog name

No big story there ... just a name that was typed in as i started this blog.

however - i've recently started a new endevour called

and that name came about through brainstorming with a great friend, we threw all sorts of names at each other - until she mentioned Flat Tack - which stuck - i love it! .. and lately it describes many aspects of my life.

Heres the Blurb if you've missed it:

█║▌│█│║▌║││█║▌║▌║ ® MADE IN NEW ZEALAND ™ 

I'm one crafty mumma that loves to create unique items for my family. People asked me to start creating items for them 

- I accepted & became Flat Tack.


theres a Facebook page too if you'd like to keep updated