Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everybody!!

I hope that whatever you are doing today to celebrate christmas (or anything else) is filled with Joy, Love, Peace and Hope!!

Today I will be spending the morning with my mothers family at my Nanna's and Gar's house for breakfast and then coming back to our house to celebrate with my Dad's family for a late lunch!! I'm so excited:)

Have a wonderful day!!

Charlotte;)

P.S. I'm so sorry I was unable to get any posts of my holiday up before today but I've been so busy baking, decorating the house, shopping and wrapping presents that I haven't had a chance.

I'm back!!

I got back today from my 2 week cruise and I have so many blogs and emails to catch up on!!

I had a wonderful time with beautiful weather and calm seas.

I'm hopefully going to get a few posts up with photos and things we did before Christmas but it just depends!!

Anyway we are about to board our plane back home.

Charlotte;)

My Pajamas

In term four of Home Economics we were required to make a pair of long pajama pants and embellish a matching shirt.

I chose pink fabric with owls on it which I bought from Spotlight. I also wanted to make mine different from everyone else's so I made them 3/4 length, added a trim of white bobbles along the bottom and sewed button holes in and put ribbon through the top.

For my shirt I used a tulip shape from my pyjamas and blanket stitched it onto a plain white shirt. I also added a bow in the same colour ribbon as my pants just with a smaller width.

We also had to make a process journal but I did not have a chance to take photos of it before I handed it in and I will not get it back until the end of next year, which is very annoying!!

Anyway here are some pictures:

 The front cover of my journal (I still can't work out how to flip photos)

 My shirt.

And my pants!!

I was really happy with how they turned out and they are really comfy to wear!!

Charlotte;)

7 interesting facts about me {part 4}

1. I love summer way more than winter
2. I started talking at a very young age and have never stopped
3. I'm a bit of a hoarder and hate to chuck things out however I often have big cleanups
4. I like to be organised well ahead of time
5. I love making list and ticking things of it once I have done them. It makes me feel like I have accomplished things!!
6. I hate dogs, sorry to all dog lovers but I just can't get past the licking, barking, pooping and the smell of dogs
7. I am a bit of a hygiene freak, I'm not that bad but I will not touch trolleys at shopping centres.

Another 7 things you probably didn't know about me!!

Charlotte;)

7 interesting facts about me {part 3}

1. I'm a little crazy
2. I'm a total perfectionist and suck at making decisions unless its something I feel passionate about
3. Everything in my bedroom is pink which can sometimes be annoying
4. I have a small birthmark on my wrist
5. I can't stand people who say things like "Oh I look so ugly" but they know they don't and they just want to hear everyone say there are not
6. Although my parents think I'm well behaved in class sometimes I get into trouble for talking or calling out
7. I went to a small primary school but I knew every students first names and last names, who their siblings were and who there parents were. So I guess you could kind of call me a know-it-all but I just got in and did everything!!

7 more facts you probably didn't know about me. 

Tell me 7 about you!!

Charlotte;)

Our Christmas Tree

Every year we chose a colour scheme for our christmas tree, chose out all new decorations and count down until December 1 to see what it all looks like on the tree.

Last year I chose to have a pink tree!! Oh it was so beautiful but this year we have gone back to more traditional colours of red and gold. We have chosen to keep it simple with just baubles and a few angel decorations and a gold and red angel on top which we've always had and was coincidentally in our colour scheme!! I think tinsel can be tacky so I love our tree!!

Our tree with no lights on, looking a bit boring.                               All lit up, how beautiful.

 Looking up from the bottom of the tree.

A bauble with my name on it, I think I got it in Kindergarten.

A growing pile of presents under the tree yet none of them are for me!!

 The angel on top.

All lit up, I can't wait for christmas day!!

What does your tree look like this year?? Have you gone with a colour scheme or is it anything and everything??

Charlotte;)

Holiday update {part 2}

Sunday: My mother and I went shopping to outlet shops and I bought a new pair of shorts and mum also bought 2 christmas presents for me, that I chose.

Monday: I went to my uncles for the day and played with and looked after my cousin N. We went for a bike ride, I walked and she rode, we went for a walk and looked at some road works and we played hide and seek. She is so cute and I love spending time with her. Her brother A was at vacation care as they had a special activity on.

Tuesday: I stayed home and re-watched season 7 of Greys Anatomy and started packing my bags for our cruise. I also had a doctors appointment as I have had a headache on the right side of my head since last Monday and last night it got really bad.

Wednesday: Again I stayed home and did a bit more packing and watched Greys Anatomy season 8 which hasn't been shown here yet!! It is so good!!! I didn't hear any news on my blood test for my headache, today.

Thursday: I finished packing and put everything in my bag, got heaps of things organised and really just got ready for our cruise!! I had a nice relaxing day even though the weather has been so cold and its meant to be summer!!

Friday: My family and I left very early for our cruise!!

How's your holidays been so far??

Charlotte;)

I'm going on a holiday

Today I along with my brother, mother and father are heading to another state and then boarding a boat!!
We are going on a 14 day cruise!!! I'm very excited, I'm ready to relax and get a very nice tan!!

I've got a few posts for you while I'm away but I don't get back until just before christmas so I hope to post soon after we get back and then its my birthday!!

I'll share all of the details and photos when I get back!!

Have a lovely 2 weeks and I'll seem to be here but I'm not really!!

Charlotte;)

Headaches

Since last Monday I have been having this headache on the right side of my head only and on Monday night it got really bad. They don't get better if I have panadol or ibuprofen, only with panadiene extra which then causes other issues.

So yesterday I went to the doctor and he checked everything and sent me off for a blood test, to see if there was something wrong with the vain on my temple, I can't remember what the problem is actually called.

Anyway I should get the results back soon other wise he thinks it is just a migraine and should go away soon. I hope its soon cause it is very annoying and is driving me nuts!!

Oh and we leave on Friday for a holiday and so I would very much like it too be better for that!!

Charlotte;)

Results

I received my report card today and as I saw my results I was almost crying tears of joy!! I was so happy with my results!!

They are:

Religion   A+ (I was 1 of 5 out of my whole grade you got this mark)

Maths       B+

English     A-

Business   A-  (it's proper name is Enterprise Education)

Home Ec  A+ (I was one of 3 who got this mark)

MMS        A+ (this subject is all about the adobe applications for example premiere or flash)

Science     A- 

SSC          B+ (SSC=Social Science)

My results mean I have received a Red Academic Award!! The past 3 times I have received a Green academic award which is given for 5 out of 8 A's and a Red is given for 6 out of 8 A's and then there is also a Blue award which is given for 7 or more A's.

I'm so pleased with my results and will be given a badge and certificate when I return to school next year!!

Charlotte;)

Holiday update {part 1}

Here's what I've been up to.

Friday: the day I finished year 9 and mum's birthday!! We finished school at 12:30 so M took E, L and I back to her house and we went for a swim and had subway for lunch. Mum then came and picked me up, I came home had a shower and then went to my Uncles place for the night as my mum had her Christmas party. We went to A's christmas concert on Friday night and I had KFC for the first time.

Saturday: I went for a swim with my cousins A and N and then my dad came and picked me up from my uncles. We then went home got mum and my brother and drove to NSW to visit friends. We got there late afternoon and stayed in their yard in our camper trailer.

Sunday: Mum, our friends and I went to Byron Bay in the morning to do some shopping but I didn't buy anything. We then came home for lunch, had a rest and then went to the lake for a swim. Our friends have many surfboards so my brother and I had a paddle around the lake and I stood up on the surfboard for 5 seconds...I was so proud!!

Monday: We drove home in the morning and then on mums way to work she dropped me off at my uncles and I played with N all day. We went swimming played dress ups and then went and got A from school. Mum then picked me up and we came home.

Tuesday: was meant to be the day I cleaned up my room and sorted everything out but I baked scones, surfed the internet and watched tv. I did do some cleaning and I un-packed my bag from my uncles (from Mondays visit not fridays!!) and NSW. I also sorted out my school books and handouts from this year.

Wednesday: I made a delicious pasta salad which I hope to share soon and a friend from primary school came over. We hanged out at my place for a while and then went to meet another friend from primary at our primary school to see all of our old teachers and current students. I had a great day and I don't normally get to see my primary school friends very often so it was very exciting.

Thursday: I put up the christmas tree!! E, L, M and I went up to our school to help with a few things for some of the day. We then all came back to my house went for a swim, watched things on my laptop and had a sleepover.

Friday: E, L, M and I went shopping for the day!! I was the only one who bought anything but its usually the opposite, I'm usually the only one that doesn't buy anything. I got a jumpsuit and 2 pairs of shorts. We then came back to my house again made some macadamia nut brittle and then they all went home. I then stayed the night at my grandparents.

Saturday: I came home from my grandparents at about midday and then wrapped a few christmas pressies and surfed the internet!!

What have you all been up to??  

Charlotte;)

Results {finally}

I've been so busy lately!! Studying for the past two weeks and also finishing assignments and this week I've also been busy even though I'm on holidays so I'm sorry I haven't posted the results from my blastocysts test.

So anyway onto the results, as you all (should) know I was re-treated for blastocyst after being treated the first time and again testing positive!! I then had to wait four weeks to get re-tested and I got the results back...um...almost 3 weeks ago, like Tuesday the 8th of November, I've been busy and maybe just a bit lazy too:)

But I'm NEGATIVE!! That means I no longer have blasto!! However it is not unlikely to get a false negative so I will be re-re-tested in a week or so (4 from getting the results back).

I wasn't as excited as I thought I would have been but it's pretty good news!! I'm still recovering from the many doses of very strong antibiotics I've had, but aside from that I'm feeling pretty good. I've been pretty exhausted these past few weeks but I don't think that's because I'm sick, I've also had a head cold that been going around and then I gave it to my mum and it turned our to be whopping cough!! She's better now and there are no more colds in this house!!

I've had quite a few side affects from the antibiotics and now have something else that is being treated. So in other words in treating my blasto it caused something else which now has to be treated, it's kind of like a vicious cycle. But I'm slowly getting a little better each and every day!!

It was also 1 year and 1 month since I got sick last Sunday which I didn't realise until just then..oops!! Its not that important, just a number that is sometimes upsetting.

Anyway I hope everyone is having a good week, I'll update you all on my holidays soon.

Charlotte;)

School's out!!

I finished school last Friday(25-11-11)!!

I have now officially finished year 9!! It feels so good to be able to say that. After 9 exams and 2 assignments I'm finally finished. However I'm kind of scared as I am now going into year 10!! I can't believe it, I think year 10 is going to be so hard.

My holidays have been fantastic so far, I've already done so much and loved every second of it, I so badly needed these holidays and I was so tired on Friday.

I hope everyone is enjoying their holidays or enjoy the ones they may have!

Charlotte;)

Paint Chip Door Decoration {Tutorial}

Every time I go to the hardware store I pick up a few paint chips, you know the little pieces of paper/cardboard that is coloured the colour of that paint. They are free and you can use them for so many different projects.

Here is my current stash:

I was looking at my door frame the other day and thought how bland it was. I wanted to do something to brighten it up a bit that didn't cost anything and this is what I thought of. Decorating it with flowers punched out of paint chips!!

From this:                                                                                           To this:

And no the wall colour doesn't change when you do this project, I just didn't take a picture of my door before I put the flowers on so I took one of my brothers instead which is the same size, just his walls are not pink!!

To decorate your door you'll need:

-Paint chips

-Blue tack or glue

-Flower puncher

-Glitter Glue (optional)

This is the punch I used.

   

Chose the colours you want your flowers to be, I chose pinks.    

And then start cutting an equal amount of flowers from each colour (you could also do all the same colour too). I used about 175 flowers.

Then put a tiny bit of blue tack or glue onto each flower and glue/stick it to the door frame. I used blue tack so that when I get sick of them I can pull them all off and the paint won't come off with them as well.

I spaced mine about 3cm apart and alternated sides each time but you could have them further apart or closer together and in a straight line. Whatever you like.

You could also add a glitter glue centre, I did this to a few but I couldn't tell a difference unless I was really close to the flowers, so I stopped.

 I also did not do all the way down the side of the door frame closest to the wall as you can't see this when the door is open and I hardly ever shut my door.

See, no one will ever notice. You could also do all the way around if you like as well.

And you're finished!! A quick, cheap and affective project!!

And here's another project I've done with paint chips, magnetic pegs.

To hold my papers on my whiteboard.

They have a strip of magnet on the back but are just wooden clothes pegs.

 

I've also got one blue tacked to my wall above my desk to hold my daily timetable.

If anyone would like a tutorial for these just leave me a comment and I'll do one soon.

 Now, go and start collecting paint chips, you'll have plenty of fun and let me know the projects you do!!

Charlotte;)

Blastocysts Update

I thought I'd give you all a general update and total history of my Blasto.

I was tested around January this year for Blasto and it came back positive, I was treated with Flagyl, the normal antibiotic that is given when Blasto is detected. This was my second dose as I had already had one dose about November last year as the doctors had no idea what was wrong but thought they would just give it to me in case. I was never re-tested for Blasto until about July when I went to a Naturopath.

After being tested at the Naturopath and it coming back positive again we had the option to go to my GP and get treated or have herbs from the Naturopath. Mum chose the GP option and I was given a double dose of Flagyl this time. This time and the previous 2 times I never had any side affects and these tablets did nothing. Mum asked for me to be re-tested after finishing the Flagyl and again it came back positive.

My mum then found a clinic in Sydney who have successfully treated Blasto before. She spoke to a lady from their who gave us the name of a doctor in Brisbane. Mum tracked that doctor down and I went to see him. He gave me a script for the Centre for Digestive Disease first protocol and I started them.

These tablets made me so very sick, I was nauseas, I had achey bones, my stomach pains were terrible and I was just so sick. I had 2 weeks off school and finished that course. This was August.

I then waited the required 4 weeks and was re-tested, I found out in the last week of term 3, in the middle of exams that I was still positive.

After finishing this first set of tablets I felt so much better, I could eat some foods containing gluten that I wouldn't have been able to before, day to day my pains were a little better and overall I felt a little better however my pains were still there and I could not continue to live like that.

I then started the second protocol from the Centre for Digestive Diseases in the school holidays thinking they too would make me terribly sick. They did not have any effect on me until I had finished them. We think this is because I started this lot of tablets a lot healthier than I did the first time. My nausea severely increased and still has not gone back to the normal amount I have and I felt really tired. I still have not fully recovered to how I was feeling before this second set of tablets however Im feeling pretty good.

I sent away the sample to be re-tested yesterday and should get the results back this week. If I'm still positive I have an appointment with a doctor in Sydney in January to discuss further treatments and if it's negative I'll be re-tested to make sure it is not a false negative.

And that is my little journey with Blastocysts, if you have any questions please leave me a comment.

Charlotte;)

Mish Mash

• This week feels like it has gone on forever
• Yesterday I went to a Caritas Leadership day which was quite insightful, we looked at people from all over the world who are living in extreme poverty, it was very sad too but I had a good time and leant a few things
• Today we had our 85th anniversary photo at school which means a plane flies over the school and everyone is standing on the oval in a formation of the number 85, it was meant to happen yesterday but everyone sat on the oval for almost 2 hours and the plane never came!! I wasn't their but apparently it was very hot and boring
• I spent yesterday afternoon with my cousins N and A, A is in prep and his primary school is attached to my school so his dad, my uncle, picked us up after school, then we picked up N from child care and went back to their place for a swim, afternoon tea and a play. My dad picked me up about 6:30pm on his way home from work. I had a great time and they are both so adorable!!
• I got a distinction on a science Competition I did this year and got an award on assembly
• Tomorrow is the year 12's last day as they are on exam block next week, they have 'muck up day' and I've been told they have got a lot install for us!! I'm really excited as this time last year I was in hospital so this is all new to me
• We also have a special 'house group lunch' tomorrow to farewell the year 12's, last year on a break from the hospital I quickly popped in for about 20 minutes to farewell the year 12's so this is new too
• I have exams in like 2 weeks, I'm very nervous and I'm starting to study
• E's birthday is next week and I've got no idea what I'm getting her, she keeps saying that she doesn't want anything which only makes it harder
• My home ec pyjama pants are coming along nicely, all I've got to do is finish the hem and I'm done, I'll share pictures when they are done
• I got re-tested today for Blatso, I won't know the results until next week but I'm hopeful

How has your week been??

Charlotte;)

The difference of a year

This day one year ago I was in hospital, I'd been there since Friday and wouldn't come home until Tuesday night after the doctors found worms in my stomach and believed this was the cause of my pains. Obviously they weren't.

My cousins N and A who I often visit in the holidays came to visit me in hospital. I remember being on a drip so I couldn't really play with them like I would have liked to. My mum, dad and brother were there too. My brother took my cousins with him to the 'play room' and I stayed in bed. I remember getting out of bed for the first time and sitting in the rocking chair and chatting. I remember they gave me a pair of pink slippers which I still have and wore every time I was into hospital. They cheered my up and gave me company that I really needed back then. They broke up my day and made time go so much faster.

Today they are coming over for dinner. This time at my house, I will swim in the pool with N and A and play with them how I badly wanted to this time last year. I will not sit back and watch, I won't have a drip in my arm and I will certainly thank them for taking time out of their day to visit me today and for visiting me this day last year.

One year on, who could have known I'd be where I am now, still sick but so much better than last year!!

Happy Sunday!!

Charlotte;)

My Laptop Case {Lots of Photos}

In year 9 Home Economics term 3 we were given a piece of denim fabric and told we could either make a pillow or wall hanging by decorating it with embroidery. I had no use for either nor did I want to make a pillow or wall hanging so I asked to make a laptop case. My home ec teacher said yes and so I started brainstorming ideas.

I came across this fabric in spotlight with little Japanese dolls on it and my ideas just grew from there. I ended up using the fabric as my lining with 2 layers of iron-on wadding between it and the denim.

This is a picture of the fabric already sewn in to my laptop case. Don't you just think its adorable?!?

It had 3 different types of dolls on it. 

I photocopied the fabric and made an embroidery pattern from it for the front of my case. 

I love this fabric soo sooo much!!

This is my embroidered doll, the second one shown above. I statin stitched the hair, the eyes and hair flower are beads, the lips are bullion stitch, the outline is backstitch and the dress is decorated in lazy daisy's.

This one was done the same but has a different dress pattern, different coloured flowers and a different hair style. This one is a replica of the first photo of dolls above. 

Again this one is done in the same way just with a different dress patter, hair style and flower colour. This one is a replica of the last photo of dolls above.

And here is the finished product all zipped up.

All three dolls, they turned out so cute!! 

My favourite is the pink one but I like them all.

 My laptop fits in perfectly.

All I did was measure my laptop and added about 4 to 5cm for a seam allowance and sewed 2 side seems.

I did a special corner, I'm not sure what it's called but it is perfectly moulded to my laptop. 

 My zip is far from perfect but this is only the second zip I've ever sewn into something and it was around a curve.

 A pinned the zip in place on one side and then tacked it and sewed around it and did the same for the other side. My grandma helped me with this step but all the sewing and embroidery was done completely by me.

We have a embroidery machine at school so I embroidered my full name on the back but apart from that I left it plain. 

I love it so much and I'm so proud of the finished product. I got an A+ for it and was asked if it could be displayed in the school library but I said no as I did not want people touching it.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Charlotte;)

One Year {365 Days}

It's been a year!! One whole year, I really can't believe it. I've had a birthday, Christmas, Easter, holidays, a funeral, a new school year, a whole bunch of medical and school tests and heaps of other things too!!

It's a big thing for me to have come one year, it seems to have gone quickly but then when I look back at the things that have happened over the past 12 months, it feels like forever. I can look back on the many many things I have missed out on but what would be the point?? So today I look back on the things I have achieved. The big things and the small, the important things and the minor, the triumphs not the tragedies.

I can remember back to the first night I spent in hospital, the day after I originally got sick, it was Thursday October 28 2010 and I can remember thinking that I would be all better by the next Tuesday at least, I don't know why I thought Tuesday but I did.

If I could go back to that night I'd tell myself to get ready to be sick for awhile, get ready for doctors appointments after doctors appointment, get ready for more days off school than you thought possible, get ready to have to give up guides and sport, get ready to go through more than you could ever imagine, get ready to see how absolutely amazing your mother is, get ready to see how your friends will support you in any way they can, get ready to see how good your school can be to you, get ready to see the love that is in your family, get ready to show how strong you can be, get ready to be frustrated, upset and just plain tired, get ready to feel like you want to give up but you just know you can't so you don't, get ready to test your strength, get ready to test your faith, get ready to test your patience, get ready to get on with your life like nothing's wrong, get ready to be amazed by those around you and get ready to also amaze those around you.

Today I celebrate what is means to me to have been sick for one year. How I have changed, how I've grown mentally and physically. How I now see things in a different light. How I now take joy in doing small things and how I have come to appreciate my family and friends so much more.

I have come so far in one year, experienced so much, laughed so much but cried too. I have had experiences I never thought I would have and I've gone through things I could have never imagined. I have put my family through things I never want to again but they have never once complained, never once given up and never once stopped loving me.

Today I need to thank those who have supported me and loved me over the past year no matter how hard it has been.
My mum who has been with me the whole way, every night I have spent in hospital she was there, every time I've been sick she was there, every time I wanted to give up she helped me to stay strong and I can never thank her enough.
My father who has looked after my brother in all this, supported my mum and visited me every day that I was in hospital, he brought me food that actually tasted good, he sat with me when mum needed a break, he made me laugh until I felt so sick I had to stop, he's come to many appointments and I love him dearly.
My grandma who visited me in hospital, looked after me whenever mum and dad had to work, cleaned up after I was sick all over the bed, given me many little treats to cheer me up and comes over in the middle of the night just to sit with us when I am very sick and I can't sleep.
My brother who has had to go through this too, the worry he must have felt, the disruption in his life and most of my parents attention being on me, he has never complained. He brought me up a photo of Honney with a piece of his fur in it when I was in hospital and I'll never forget that.
My friends M, E and L who have supported me no matter what, when I was really sick on school camp they stayed up with me all night even though they had many physical activities the next day, now that I'm gluten free they always get gluten free food for me and whenever we order pizza at school they make sure we have gluten free one even if the normal one is better and every single day of school I have missed I have caught up because of them, they give me their notes and any handouts we were given. They are truly amazing friends.
My whole extended family who have always asked how I am and asked how they can help us. They have all been so kind to us.
My Mums friend Tc (I call her that) who has always been ready to take me to hospital, take me to doctors appointment, she often comes over for a visit to make sure we are all doing alright and to brake up my days, last year when I didn't go to to school and all I pretty much did was sleep and rest at home or in hospital I can remember her coming over and just laying with mum and I and talking she makes time go so much faster, she is always willing to look after my brother when both my parents are with me at either appointments or at the hospital and she is always ready to do anything for me.
My teachers, espicially my year 8 co-ordinator for all of their continual support and understanding.
And anyone else who has been there for me and supported me.

I have gotten so much better over the past year and come so far since last October but  have so much further to go to get back to last September when I was not sick.

Today I will celebrate with a small party with my friends at school with pizza and brownies.

Charlotte;)

My weekend

On Saturday my grandmother and I went to a Quilt and Craft Show. I bought quite a few things and loved looking at all different types of crafty things to make and do. I slept over on Saturday night at her house too and did somethings for my Home Ec assignment.

These are all the things I bought:

These sparkly letters were only $3 and there is 86 in there. 

These are a bit hard to see but there are 'Happy Birthday', 'Merry Christmas' and letter stickers. Each were $2 per sheet. 

I can't work out how to turn this photo but it's letter stickers and boarders. I love the colours of the letters!! 

I can't work out how to flip this one either but I got both of these 2 paper pads with 40 sheets of decorated paper for only $5.

This is one of my favourites from the pink pad 

And one from the black pad. 

I got these 2 sheets of scrap-booking paper for free!! 

And these 2 were $1 each, aren't they pretty!?! 

This set of scrapbook paper was only 50c, for all of it!! 

These 4 were also 50c! 

And these ones were too!! 

And so were these!! 

I got these little decorative scissors and sewing machine button for my Home Ec assignment which is a scrapbook/journal. The scissors where 90c and the button $4.50.

And I also got these 2 adorable sewing themed ribbons for about $3 a metre!!

I got picked up early Sunday morning and then I got ready to go to school. We have an awards night on Tuesday and each year level has an act, it is optional to participate in but I chose too. So we had to practice. I am dancing in it but I'm not that good but it's a lot of fun!! The rehearsal started around 9 and finished around 11am so afterwards E, L, M and I went down to the shops and got an Ice cream. I came home then did some shopping and for the rest of the afternoon I worked on my Home Ec assignment.

How was your weekend?

I hope this week is just as good, if not better!!

Charlotte;)

P.S. If anyone knows how to flip these photos (they were taken on a cannon camera) could you please leave me a comment!! Thanks.