One Night Camping

We went camping for one night on the weekend.

It was a group camp with other people from our church

We had so much fun.

Never have we camped where we have known every person in the campground.

There were around 60 of us and we had the campground to ourselves!

Before we left I said

This has the potential to be an awesome weekend full of fun
Or I am imagining the little children forming packs of wild crazy kids not being able to calm down because of so many friends in the same spot. Lord of the flies here we come.

I had also heard several "I'm sleeing with ____ in their tent"  "____ is sleeping with us in our tent"
The details seemed to change daily.


I am so pleased to say that the former happened and not the latter.

Apart from the teenage boys with fart bombs and water bombs the children's behaviour was great!

So much fun I hope to go camping like that again!

activities:

Fire and more fire

Toasting marshmallows

Big Screen outdoor movie

waterbombs and running around crazy

Making face paint out of charcoal/fire leftovers

Group running/obstacle course games

Thanks always to the Mr who put in A LOT of work to go camping for just one night. We had a packed to the brim trailer with tents, a huge tarp, everything for outdoors movie (computer, projector, speakers, extension cords etc), ropes, first aid kit, ax, hammers and the list goes on. He set up a lot of stuff and then had to pull it all back down the next day.

Charity. A real love.

It's the day of love

I didn't accomplish half of what I pinned {on pinterest}


{will I ever?}

A few years ago I decided that we should give the girls things on Valentines. Not that I want to buy into the commercialism of spending money on one day to show your love, but give them one simple thing ~ like a single flower, a chocolate, a homemade card, a heart shaped pancake breakfast. As a gentle reminder that their parents love them. Whisperings of being kind to others, to share love with the world. The world can always use a little more of {real} love in my opinion.

{Today's gift was heart pancakes and red valentines balloons}

I've been reading on Charity lately. Click here for all 53 Scriptures that mention Charity
{great reading for valentines day!}

We all know if we have not charity we have nothing.


However a few others that caught my attention mention to be clothed in charity or to put on charity.


1 Peter 4:8 
And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: ^afor ^bcharity shall cover the multitude of sins.

Doctrine and Covenant 88:125
And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace.

Colossian 3:14
And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.


I really liked these statements. Sometimes we all feel like failures in this tough gig called life. Especially if you have high expectations for yourself. I'm always questioning if I do indeed have Charity :the pure love of Christ.

I like that it might not necceasrily be something that is with us always, BUT we can still choose to cloak ourselves with charity.

I felt the symbolism of a beautiful shawl that I can pick up and it will warm me when I need it.

At times it can be hard to have charity, Especially when we don't feel certain people deserve our charity. In our families we might think.. but THEY need to be kind/help out/say sorry to ME!

Do I like to help people that can help me back? Do I  like to help people who through their own bad choices have ended up where they are. Do I feel they deserve to be there, or don't deserve help?

I can choose the cloak of charity - its always laying right where I need it, within arms reach. I can cloak myself with it and give the pure love of Christ.

Instead of romantic love {which the Mr tried to tell me we have everyday so why do we need to celebrate on a forced/commercialized day?} maybe I can use the day to celebrate love for mankind.

Today may be a day designated for romantic love. But I think it is ok, if not better, to firstly love ourselves ~ how unique, special and wonderful we are. Treat yourself. Secondly love your family. It doesn't matter if we don't have a significant other today. We all have family. Let's tell them we love them. A call or letter to mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers. Lastly show a kindness to a stranger.


And we all will be better off for celebrating a day of love.


I've received two random acts of kindness from strangers today already! And I found a heart shaped leaf laying on the road {you know I see and photograph any natural heart}


Time to pass it on xx


Happy Valentines to all my family, friends and strangers alike who read this blog!

I LOVE YOU!

and I fell off a waterfall...

It's my birthday and all I got was this huge gash to the head...

Well Ok not really. The day started out like this:

Where she received all her desired gifts : Sunglasses, watch, hat, mini book reading light and bra's!

Then a morning shopping with mum to spend birthday money and to buy new shiny kids high heels for church. Then off to lunch at the children's favourite place of Sizzlers...

But the day ended like this:

and 7 hours in Emergency.

The poor little darling today is sore and tired and says 'she feels like grandma and it hurts to bend over {we've since talked that she will now have more compassion for old people and her grandma that has a sore back}shes got a nice headache and wants to lay down all day.

A walk with friends to a waterfall shes been to several times ended with her slipping on some moss/algae and falling 5 metres off said waterfall. Friends mother carried her all the way back down the path and bought her home and we took her up to the hospital. Her Dr was very nice and looked after her really well she said. He even called home at 11pm to check on her.

She had large bruising to her back and hip, a few scrapes and a 6cm gash to the top of her head where afterwards the doctors said they could see her skull and it was bruised.

She did say a few times.. why did this have to happen on my birthday?


We told her she is lucky she is alive with no broken bones and that it'll make her 9th birthday one she will never forget xx

Pool Party for Nine

It seems I am a sucker for parties.

My children seem to get a party {however small or simple or large} every birthday.

I know people who only do parties every second year or every four years
{1,4,8,12,16 - all important birthdays - I really LIKE that Idea!}

However it just seems we always do parties.

Have I told you what lovely neighbours I have? {I do...3 very nice ones}
Well one of them let us have Miss A's party over at her house. Why you ask?

Because they have a POOL!

Miss A felt very lucky to be able to have a POOL PARTY for her birthday.

Me? I was just happy that amongst all this rain, there wasn't any rain or storm happening. I had to walk 8 children + my own 4 home from school to the party. I also had no back up plan. This was to be a very simple party.

Simple is my favourite!


Curly Straws and Softdrink
Packets of Chips
Cupcakes

and LOTS OF SWIMMING.


Just right for a birthday at this time of year.

And I think they enjoyed it very much. I couldnt get them to leave the pool when their parents arrived.

13 years ago...

{what I was doing the night before I got married: My awesome Sydney Friends took me out and dared me to wear this granny outfit they bought along. I was too scared to wear this out in public}

We didn't really have much opportunity to celebrate (alone) this weekend for our 13th Wedding Anniversary but as we tiredly drifted off to sleep on Sunday night we had a conversation:

Do you remember what you did the night before we got married
Could you sleep (I was confused to what bed I slept in..my whole family in a hotel room?)
What time did you get up the morning of
Were you nervous
Thoughts running through your head

It was funny to hear my husbands side of things after all these years. 
He was nervous, alone, praying really hard, cried (happy tears of course)

{I have a terrible memory. I couldn't remember much at all. Maybe this blog is a good idea!}


If you could go back what would you tell your younger self?

You are doing the right thing. Life will turn out pretty perfect. Relax, he will turn up (he was stuck in traffic and late for the interview with temple president - I was petrified to go alone and worried that my tears of nervousness would be mistaken by the Temple President as a young girl who didn't want to get married) Enjoy and write down every feeling and thought from today, because believe it or not you WILL forget.

I was a pretty relaxed bride I think. Flowers bought the day before from the florist across the road {I still have a love for those Irises} Photos, Lunch with family in the Temple Cafeteria {it was great} and escaping for a slow drive back home to Brisbane stopping for whatever we wanted, and a Wedding Reception back home a week later.

I may at times want to cringe at the simpleness of it all {which felt far from simple at the time}but I loved it. I just wanted to get married, be happy with the Man I loved and not be in any debt. Pretty sure I covered all that, and the pattern has continued since.

I am that younger girl, and she is me.

Never forget. Use each day to love more. Make your goal to be more in love today than on that day.

Sci Fi Birthday Party

Sci Fi party: The Mr decided on a Dress up/Themed party for his 40th Birthday.

His once-in-every-ten-years-party. So he wanted to put a big of effort in.

Invites

The Mr is celebrating the end of his fortieth year on the planet.

Turning 40 is "halfway" through his life he says and so

he wishes to celebrate with some of the things he likes.
The theme for the party is SCI FI.

Dress up in costume as a science fiction character from either film or television.
 His Favourites, include, Start Trek, Star Wars, Stargate, Babylon 5, Dr Who to name a few.

Here are some of the details of the party:

Fancy Dress. Here are our Fun friends and family who dressed up as per invitation.

1. Star Trek  2.The Milky Way  3. Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

4.Alien Baby  5. Captain and the Enterprise  6. Astronaut

7.Bazinga!  8. Mulder and Scully  9. Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy

Birthday number from photos and more paper stars
(I told you they are quick, easy and addictive - I still have the ones from Christmas up!)

Dry Ice for fun effects

The Tardis Door/Entry

We arent big party people. We love to entertain and its not unusual for us to have people over weekly, but it isnt very often we try to throw big parties. I believe we've only had four between us (my 21st and 25th and The Mr's 30th and 40th)

What we have learnt:
::Let people know that their presence is more important to you than their outfit (yes several people told me they didn't come to our party because they couldn't think of a costume.... sad face :(

::We asked for adults only party because between our invited friends there would have been 60 children (and our house just aint big enough for THAT party) however this also prevented quite a few people from not being able to attend. I need to think of an idea where kids can be somewhere nearby but not 'at the party' (hello... dear neighbours.. I need a favour.... ;) suggestions appreciated.
        

::The Mr recluctanly joined facebook last year. He thought of all those invites he missed getting via facebook and did the same. Maybe not that many people actually check their facebook   - handwritten invites next time!

::Whilst it may look like we are loser no friends (well, its always a possibility ;) several people also had to work. I really think there should be a ban on people who have to work on Saturday nights. Really.

:: Over invite if you want a big party.
(except the time you do that everyone will come and your house will explode with people ;)


But even though we were low in expected numbers - and felt a bit silly, I learnt that it doesn't matter. We were there and our children were there. We had fun coming up with ideas and preparing. We had fun decorating, creating and having a common goal. The girls spent hours decorating and making their own outfits.

They dreamed, and planned, and giggled and spent hours days experimenting with dry ice effects.

And I suppose that is the best gift one can ever give.


Hope you enjoyed and loved your birthday party Mr


 see you at 50 ;)

How to build a Tardis

I know this is a very important and wanted piece of information.

Every house needs a Tardis right?



How to make a Tardis decoration for a party of just for fun.

What you need:

:: Find some large cardboard. We used some flat packing from a set of bunks we bought and a bicycle. Keep your cardboard from any purchases, or beg, steal borrow from elsewhere.

:: We were lucky to have procured a projector. This makes the job much easier!

:: Blue, black and White paint.

From your laptop project a picture of the Tardis from Online. like this

{Learn from our mistake and PAINT your cardboard first!!}

From our pictures you will see that we traced the projection on two separate pieces of cardboard, then spray painted, then went over the lines with black paint. Will be much quicker if you spray the board, then trace projection.

We then printed out the details and glued the paper on {The Police Box sign and the instructions sign}

Cut around edges and attach to your front door.

We made ours into FOUR pieces.

We attached the top piece above our front door.
We attached the main/doors piece directly to our front door
We attached two strips to the sides of our front door for the edges of the police box


Now you have a fun entry way for your party.

all thats left is to make lots of jokes about your tardis being {bigger on the inside}

Sci Fi what...

Help!

I need ideas for what to dress up as at my husbands Sci Fi themed birthday party.  On the invite he listed some of his favourites - Star Trek, Stargate, Star Wars and Dr Who for inspiration.

Originally I wanted to be seven of nine

Hot right? lol (though I would definately need to invest in a heavily padded bra :) but this idea has proven more difficult. I found almost no places that sell or hire this outfit  (perhaps it's a little intimidating and unforgiving costume??)


So now that that idea is nixed... what to do? I've only got a few days left.


Some other ideas for homemade costumes I've had - and as a non sci fi speaking person before I was married I do believe I have come a long way...

:: Dress up as Riker and give me a fake beard??
(you know if The Mr is Picard well then I wanna be Number 1 right hand man right?)

:: Dress up as the enterprise (ship, captain ;)

:: Beverly Crusher ... Dr??? (with that simmering underlying love for the captain ;)

:: Wear black and stick stars all over me

::  The Stargate  ( I'm leaning towards this one so don't steal my idea!)

:: Just don a typical star trek uniform or make a cardboard starfleet badge

:: One of Dr Who's many companions?

:: Chewbacca

:: Princess Leia

:: Robot

:: Alien

:: The Tardis


I just can't choose, and can't see how I'm meant to fashion a good looking outfit from the things found in the house



I've got 4 days.. what to do??



But I will have a cool - How to make your own Tardis decoration in the coming days..
I know everyone wants their own!

Back to School Dinner

Back to School

Miss G awoke Monday morning and squealed

I get to go to school today! woohooooooo!

Miss A wrote a whiteboard list of everything they needed to do.

Everyone was ready and raring to go super early.

and super excited to have Daddy come along on his twice a year visit to school :)

For the last 3 years we have held a Back To School Dinner.

This year the girls decided that it would be better to hold the dinner after the first day
(I usually hold it before)

Miss A decided on the Theme "I will go and do"

I asked them to come up with the theme after mentioning if they could think of scriptures or sayings that went with learning, kindness, love, trying, being our best etc. Past themes have been  Love One Another  and CTR - Choose the Right . "I will go and do the things which the lord commands"
I thought this a lovely theme for our schooling year. Go and Do! Go and Do!

1 Nephi 3:7
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.


The menu was also chosen by the girls. I spent my first day of quiet after the holidays shopping and cooking all day! I will have a well deserved rest tomorrow.


Back to School Dinner Menu

Camembert, Quince paste, Wafers

French stick and Pumpkin Soup

Maple Glazed Ribs and Mash and Maple carrot, zucchini, capsicum

Apple Crumble with Icecream


A nice way to celebrate the start of another school year. Education is important.

School Hair Accessories

One of the few positives of going to a school with high turnover is that many of our friends give us their school uniform when they move. {many expats, immigrants who start in the city, families who outgrow apartments, home buying is prohibitive in the city etc} We have lots of friends who come and go {which can be heartbreaking at times but we feel blessed to know so many people the globe over}

I'm lucky to have a big box filled with every sort of uniform.

Some of these I've been holding onto for years waiting for Miss G to start school.

A couple of our uniforms were a little worse for wear and not suitable.

I saw a family member on facebook refashioning her kids old uniforms into hairbows and scrunchies and thought... aha! Just the idea I needed.

I have had lots of fun making scrunchies (haven't done that since I was 12 or so!!)
and little hairbows to match the girls school uniforms.

A wonderful way to recycle any old uniforms you might have.

To make a scrunchie

Take 2 rectangular lengths of fabric {about 50cm x 8cm}
sew down the long sides.
Turn out and you will have a rectangle.
Pin elastic at one end and pull through the fabric. It will scrunch up as you go.
Sew the two short ends together to make a circle, enclosing the ends neatly.

For bows

Sew 2 small rectangular pieces of fabric together {12 cm x 8cm approx}.
Go around all sides of the rectangle leaving a half length undone on the last side.
Turn the fabric out and you will have a little rectangle.
Handstitch hole closed.{or if you dont care about visible stitches, run through the machine}
Fold the fabric concertina style 3 times - giving you a little bow tie look.
Holding the fabric together run it through the sewing machine in the middle.

You can choose to leave it like this -
 and just attach onto elastic for a headband {I sewed the bow straight onto some white elastic}
you can also sew it straight onto a hairband {I used those soft style ones}.

For a more finished look I attached a 'knot in the middle' by creating another very skinny rectangle. When used this way hairbands and alligator clips can be hot glue gunned onto the bow.

Basically these are just mini versions of bow ties Tutorial here

This are fairly quick and easy and kinda addictive. I see 20+ bows coming from one old school dress.

Off to School!

Last week while the older girls were sleeping over at the neighbours I got to witness my two younger playing with the toy food and playing babies. It was sweet and touching and I almost shed a tear that it won't happen too often now that Miss G is off to school.

Don't get me wrong, I think she is totally ready and willing to go to school. But are we?

When we bought her school supplies (in early jan) she thought it meant she was starting school in two days. She sung and danced her way through the westfield shouting

I'm going to school! In two days I start school!

I said to her 'that sadly I have decided that she is too little to go to school and that I changed my mind and that she has to stay home with me instead.'

She looked me square in the eye and said
"Don't worry mummy. I'll draw you a picture while I'm at school".

This will make you happy while I am away.

... see the kid won't even miss me.

She has been talking about school every.single.day since her sisters finished school last year. She thought after Christmas she could start school. She askes every day 'how many weeks/days still I start school' (she prefers hearing 2 -3 weeks etc as that sounds a smaller number than 25 days etc )

Every time a child starts school I worry that I haven't taught them enough. Did I spend the right amount of time teaching them the important things of life that will now be diluted by other people and other influences. Do they understand how much we love and cherish them and will be their support in tough times and that WE are more important than any friends or teachers could be?

It's a little step into the world. It's a special time, one that I will only get to experience four times. At my third time I'm not really worried or anxious at all. I'm more excited for her.



Next week when it's just me and miss N staring at eachother...


... missing our little firecracker Miss G...

Then perhaps we shall know what we have lost. Never to get back.




Cherish your little ones. They don't stay little forever.

***

Perhaps it wont be so easy afterall. Miss G cried today when she realised she won't be coming to mothers group with me anymore. She realised she will only be able to see her best friend on Sundays. When I told N not to worry when her older sister was mean to her - that we'll have all the toys to ourselves next week, she realised Miss N will get to do our usual fun stuff and that she won't be with us doing it.

Here's to school yard tears!

We all gotta grow up.



Now she's back to all excited about it.

Obviously we are on the same page. Excited but understand what we will be missing.


Only one week left!

Birthday Weekend

Wah!

I wanna go back to where there was utter silence, massages, spa baths, sleep ins, stunning views and all meals where prepared for me

The epic double birthdays have been. Also written about in previous years as "THE Birthday"


I was spoilt because I turned our birthdays into a four day fest!

Friday Night = Girls night party

Saturday = head to Clear Mountain lodge and have couples massage, Dinner on the mountain and spa

Sunday= Sleep in lots, go to late church head back home and have roast dinner and cake for daddy's birthday

Monday= Me and the girls go swimming, sizzlers and a long sleep and Thai takeway for my birthday dinner.

The Mr was pretending to be indignant when I said the cake might not be ready for his birthday
(we were late home) and I said

"Don't worry... we're TWINSIES....

if not cake today, then tomorrow.

If cake today.. leftovers for tomorrow"

Being overshadowed by someone else on your birthday does have limitations but in someways it makes me love The Mr more. I'm thinking about me, I'm thinking about him, I'm thinking about us.

That is the gift that our birthdays give. I find it really strange that a generic birthday celebration can really strengthen my love for him, my ideals for a happy marriage, my belief in being gifted a soul mate, my having to share the date with him, a few days where the focus is US, not individually but together.

As I sat in a hotel room, surrounded by soft morning light, covering our heads in crisp white sheets playing peekaboo

whispering Happy 40th Birthday darling

it was like I was a part of him, and he me, and I was announcing.

our chance at life. at growing. at ageing.

Here is to another year.

xx love you birthday twinsie.




*** we stayed here if anyone is interested. I would say it would have the best views of any hotel in Brisbane. Views of the dam by day, and  the lights of  the entire of Brisbane by night. Our massages at Stephanies were amazing. The hotel was extremely quiet (maybe we just stayed at a quiet time?) but it was so quiet it was almost eerie, yet very relaxing for those of us escaping noisy kids. There were a few things I thought could have been better (when I paid to upgrade to a spa room, I didn't think it would just be a spa in the bathroom 10cms from the toilet :/) and I felt the dishes we ate at Mandy's on the Mountain could have been improved.

Thanks be to the people who gifted us money for our birthdays so we could enjoy the weekend. Whilst we may have had NO physical presents to unwrap on our birthdays, this was a very lovely, much needed gift.

Resolutions

Resolutions! I liked this article over at Apartment therapy about giving yourself the month of January off. Rest, Recouperate, Regroup. Then start any projects you have in mind. Now that's my kind of resolution - cause lets face it, most people fail by the end of January anyways :)

I don't really make resolutions. The last two years I've done the the word thing. Choose a word for the year and then you will have several goals/desires that could come from having more of *that* in your life.

Well I did OKAY at my goal of simplicity last year. Could have been better, but I'll take it as a success.

However this year I have decided to nix that and have decided to focus on my bad habits/failings.

OUCH.

I've actually known about a few of these for a while now, and have tried *a little* but I think a stronger focus would be good.

I talk too much and I talk over people.

Yeah I'm one of THOSE annoying people. I truly don't try to be like this.  However, if a discussion is something I know a lot about{and I know about everything :} or am passionate about, I.just.can't.help.it! Seriously. I have even made goals of 'I'm going to a party/friends house/social function.... I am just going to LISTEN to other people and try really hard not to talk.' and then when I am heading home I hang my head in shame and say I FAILED.

I FAILED AGAIN.

It's funny when my husband has to often ask me ' so how do you think you went in conversations tonight?'  How SAD!

I can't tell you when I read (and saw in the movie) Eat Pray Love about her wearing the sign that says "I am in Silence" - OH HOW I NEED one of those!! It spoke to me on sooo many levels.

I feel kinda sad that people might think 'OH she is so annoying and never SHUTS UP. Never get a word in edgewise. That is not what I want people to think of me. I have several women whom I admire. They are always smart, soft spoken, sweet, loving, helpful people. I cringe when I think I am so far from what I admire.


I don't look people in the eye when I/they talk.

I know. Annoying. I really don't know when I started to do this or not do this I should say. I don't remember having this problem as a teen or early 20's. The problem has definately gotten worse over the years. Looking people directly in the eye while talking to them makes me super nervous. I don't even like to look into my husbands eyes for extended period of time! Freaks me out.

However when you don't do this people think you don't like them or aren't interested in what they are saying. I have been really thinking about this habit ever since this conference talk. It was one of those times where I thought THIS TALK WAS MEANT FOR ME! (yikes) An apostle that had trouble looking people directly in the eye... well now I know there is hope for me!

If I realise I'm doing it, I have been trying harder to look into peoples eyes, but I'm still pretty fail.

I'm a scatter brain

Yep my attention span is pretty low. I get bored and move on. Cleaning for me is doing half of something and wandering away cause I need a break from it and start on something else. Usually it all works out fine but I think perhaps I could learn to be a little more focused. I remember in High school and Uni I seriously did my work in like 10-20 minute increments with activities or timeout inbetween. I found it worked well though and I usually got good marks. However now I see that perhaps my haphazard ways of doing things is perhaps  not the best or time smart. I seem to spend ALOT of time wandering around from one thing to another.

Well I'm sure I have plenty more faults but I think these will take enough work.


So now you all know what I'm working on.. well its not like these habits are secret... those who know me surely already know *rolls eyes*..

But now you can call me out on it...

'you can stop talking and listen to ME now Bobbie.. remember its your goal?'


Heres to a new year of silence.


after tonight, cause I'm having a birthday party ;)

Obliteration Room

This morning I was reading this post over at Design Mom.

It's funny how a person living in France was blogging about something that is in my town.

I wasn't going to share these pictures - just a day out for our family at the Art Gallery but after reading her post about it, I thought, hey, this is a special art installation that I was able to visit and be part of.

That's pretty cool.

and I liked Design Mom's take on what the art is trying to portray

This inspires so many reactions, doesn’t it? From being reminded once again that even the most basic shapes and ideas can turn into stunning works of art, to the more thoughtful connection between how our very presence colors the world around us. And then there’s the mom response, which is more of a resigned sigh that this process occurs naturally a few hours after we’ve cleaned the house!

I hadn't really thought of the mum reaction... but now I totally get that!
and sigh how my life feels most of the time!

I liked being able to see over at design mom how the room looked like before all the stickers... it was definately getting very full by the time we went.

Another room by the same artist Yayoi Kusama who has been producing works for 60 years 

and another one throughly enjoyed by the children -
 We miss you Magic Land by Nicole Andrijevic and Tanya Schultz

Their work draws on children’s stories, creation myths, Buddhist cosmologies, video games and folktales, Pip & Pop create large-scale fantasy worlds coloured with a bright, often fluorescent palette, using cake-decorating tools, intricate layers of sugar, glitter, modelling clay and mirrors.

I suspect these are going to be well looked at art installations. The kids loved them. We were lucky to go on a very quiet day - the day before Christmas eve and there were few people there.

Good luck if you go on a busy day!

Hopefully we can look a bit deeper into the meaning of the art instead of just enjoying 'the visual entertainment' it offered our family.

Goodbye 2011

Have I told you what wonderful friends I have?

I have just had the best four days I've had in a long while!!

A wonderful beach holiday with my family. The perfect remedy for Black Hole Week!

It was bliss!


Now how did this come about?? Facebook of course
(you all know I have a firm testimony of facebook ;)

so I was on there whining about how I couldn't find a nice holiday place :
1. in my price range
2. available the weekend I needed it
3. The cheaper ones had me shaking in my no doona's from the 1980's boots.

so that blessed little chat box popped up and my friend said

"we are going to sydney, would you like to stay in our empty house?"


ummmm that would be YES!

so the very next day we packed our bags and headed off to a lovely four day vacay!!

woo hooo!

I want my friend to know that she is the sweetest giving person ever and so thoughtful.

She really gave me one of the best gifts I've received in a while.


Hopefully I can be just like her. So who wants to stay at my house ?



3 different beaches, road trip to Gympie, new years eve.. what a four days

Late night (8pm :) walk along the beach

With small kids that are usually tucked up in bed at night, I found this night time walk along the beach one of the best things we did. I loved it and want to include some more things like this on the to-do list for this year. Sometimes I forget there is a nightlife out there, for this family who are usually all in the house by 5pm!

Next stop calm waters. The Mr and I said how we couldn't believe hours went by with no one complaining or whining at us. I noticed on our holiday that we took no toys with us and few 'digital' distractions, YET the kids still kept themselves occupied. A good reminder to me for what is really needed for prolonged happy play (new environment, water, outdoorsy, other kids to 'make instant friends with') something I must make sure to include more regularly too.

We spent half an hour watching the most gorgeous pelicans. We were able to walk right up to them as they waited for fishermen to give their offcuts. These two pelicans were as large as our 8 year old. They were HUGE and a little scarey! (even though they were completely friendly!) We got to see their stretchy veiny beaks in action.

The next beach we hit up was a surf beach with nice dumpy waves. The girls were only in about 50cm of water and were getting rolled around big time.

 Watching this black wall of rain head towards us was pretty fun

Next stop New Years Eve - we opted for a quiet night in of dinner, games, Wii, sparklers and glowsticks. We headed up to the local lookout thinking we would be able to view the 3 sets of fireworks at the coast. There were about 100+ other people there hoping for the same thing. However it turns out we couldnt see ANY of the fireworks! We did get the odd glimpse of the top of a firework and we could see the clouds reflecting different colours but that was IT! Most anticlimatic firework viewing I've ever had.

And we ended our holiday with church. How nice it was as someone pointed out that it is very rare to start the New Year on a Sunday. A good beginning for a new year with the right focus.

I had a wonderful end to 2011. Did you?