last week (or so) in pictures

1. The lovely Sarah and her baby belly

2. Proud parents Brad and Di with little Remi
3. The Groom as he saw his Bride for the first time
4 and 5 old friends
6. Mr Rosemary Moustache
7. Our room
8. lots of balloons
9. Uncle Tim and Isabelle
10. THAT CAKE!
11. Happy birthday!
12. Dessert Bar
13. hands down creamiest most delicious triple brie I tried on our holiday!

home again home again

 "the spilsburys"

my summer holiday has drawn to a close.

I have had a wonderful time.

I finished one job and tomorrow I start a brand new one...little nervous...and excited,,,

I had the chance to relax, idle the time away, complete some projects and spend some quality time with both sides of the family.

This last week and a bit has been ace...

I saw my very pregnant best buddy

met a brand new little bubba and got to say hi to his wonderful parents

witnessed a wedding between a couple of cute people

was a real life wedding crasher

had a chance encounter with a lovely old friend from high school and her equally lovely older sister in Toowoomba

had breakfast with some friends we haven't seen for a year and heard about their tales of living in New 

Zealand

hung out with the beloved spilsburys...which involved lots of cuddles from VERY precious and cute nieces, learning the Diego and Dora songs off by heart...and then having them going around in my head all day yesterday!

but I will be back to share photos during this week

now I must go and relax for my first day tomorrow!

summer holiday

we're all going on a summer holiday, no more working for a week or...2!

I'm outty people, off to the Gold Coast to hang with these beloveds...plus a couple of extra cuties who have been born since this holiday back in January 2010!

See ya in a couple of weeks!

january date

I'm not sure how I originally came across this but when I read it I thought that is totally what I am getting Tim for Christmas. So the idea is to plan a date for every month of the year, each month has an envelope with the date details, some have vouchers in, some have pictures of where/what we will be doing (eg. restaurant, walking in a national park). It was lots of fun to put together and Tim really loved it! I got a bit nervous closer to Christmas...I thought he might think it was lame! good thing he didn't. 

 So January was super easy! Go somewhere to escape the heat...even though now our weather has turned quite cool! ha We went to the movies and saw Sherlock Holmes and we treated ourselves to a "small" popcorn...it wasn't that small!

I made a goal earlier in 2011 to make date nights regular. We do a lot together but making sure we make special intentional time was what I was going for. It's a good habit to get into before we have kids!

number 7 DONE!

It only took me a year but that's OK! :)

Yesterday to the date Tim and I arrived back from overseas. It was a ripper trip one we'll probably never get to do again and I have thought back to that trip many times over the last 12 months and thought...that was so good!

 While on that trip I made a list of some goals/tasks I wanted to complete in the time I was 27. You can see the list here. Some things are easier than others some I will not achieve before March 15th but I am so glad I got this one done...and really in the end it took me no time at all! I can't believe it took me this long to do it!

 I kept all our tickets from the tours we did, bus tickets museums we visited and put them all in a collage. I received the frame as a Christmas present last year.

I also added a couple of photos from along the way too! I'm really happy with how it turned out and it is such a  great keepsake from the trip...

Hopefully I'll get cracking on some of the other things too over the coming weeks! 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

 We had a lovely New Years Eve. Last year we were sipping Cosmo's in Hamberg. this year we were having a few quiet drinks at home with 2 of my sisters, playing games and eating delicious food.

 Have you ever seen the movie Four Holidays? There is a scene in it where they play Taboo and one couple just keep getting it right one after the other it's very funny...well Bec was describing this and it made me laugh for ages!

 We then met up with some friends

 played with sparklers

 and enjoyed the fireworks!

Happy New Year friends I hope it is a blessed, happy, fun and healthy year for you and yours!

We have had some scorching weather here in Adelaide ( 41 + degrees celsius) so we have been relaxing the last few days...yesterday we pretty much watched DVDS and sat in the air con the whole day! It was amazing!

1 x 2

How did this year go by so fast? This time last year we were travelling to Hamberg from Berlin, almost on the last leg of our big trip. We also received this text a year ago to say these darling little ones had arrived into the world!

 And now they are 1! 

(sorry Luke hope you don't mind me nabbing your photo!)

Unfortunately we don't live in the same state so we haven't had a lot of physical contact with these cuties, we have met a couple of times and we have received plenty of photos and hear you in the background when we we are talking to your mummy and daddy! We wish we could have been there today to see you, give you a tickle and a kiss and share a cupcake with you, your big sister and the rest of the gang. Hopefully as you get older there will be opportunity to do that.

Happy Birthday Ava Joy and Sophie Christina

xxxx

Love Uncle Tim and Aunty Lauren 

What are you doing New years EvE?

This is so lovely!

Happy New Years Eve!

Happy Christmas!

We had a fantastic day yesterday! We went to church then headed over to Mum and Dad's place for lunch...which turned into afternoon tea and then dinner too!

some seriously silly people... :)

   Nana really had the moves for Bocce! Bocce was a present for Jek from her secret santa...who was me! There were a lot of laughs!

 It was insane how many times Jek got ridiculously close to the jack! I think she's been practicing!

 see what I mean! FREAK!

 A very cute little brroch for me from my secret santa...who was Jek!

I was very spoilt! A subscription for Peppermint magazine, a beautiful cookbook...AND beautiful book that I have been eying off for ages from a very generous friend! And plenty of pocket money!

I have now officially finished at my job! The last couple of weeks were great and bitter sweet. The young people organised a surprise party for me Friday week ago which was fantastic! It also made me cry! I had a lovely send off at the Christmas Eve service, and was given a very generous gift from the congregation. So now I am officially on holidays for a whole MONTH! I am so very happy about that! Perhaps my blogging mojo will return!

AND today the sisters and brother in law are coming over to watch cricket (boys will be doing that) and board games!

Hope you had a wonderful day yesterday with your family and friends celebrating and relaxing and perhaps reflecting on the true joy and miracle of the day

xx

christmas craft

When I sew I usually stick to the things I know, I make things up and usually follow VERY SIMPLE patterns. I always need pictures to show me what it is supposed to look like so I know I am on the right track!

 I started making this table runner the other night...I bought the fabric, washed it and then it sat there for a few days....I had the pattern but no picture, my mum had the original pattern so I got it off her...I needed to be stealthy because the table runner is indeed for her for Christmas!

 once I got started I was on a real roll!

It's a bit wonky at the edges, but it is made with a tonne of love and I know she will really love it which is the main thing! :) There are a couple of things I would change like using less of the dark plain blue...but one end has made a T with that fabric...and her name is Trudy! So it works out!

I think I'm going to make a non christmasy one for our table for all year round! And perhaps it'll be a feature for some other presents too!

What Christmas things have you made this year?

bit of encouragement

We have this calendar that was given to us for our wedding...or engagement...

I've been more diligent lately in flipping it over each day...

except for this week when I flipped this over a couple of days late

And it was exactly the encouragement I needed to hear that day...

It's sort of serendipitous like that

xx

grateful for the light at the end of the tunnel

image credit

I'm about to finish up the job I have been doing for the past 6 years. There's a tinge of sadness and some excitement about what will be next. But the last few weeks have been a little crazy, what with end of year school wrapping up, Christmas dinners, carols nights, end of year youth break ups, advent evenings, secret santa presents etc etc etc. Tonight I can honestly see the light at the end of the tunnel. Most of the BIG things I was to do before finishing my job are done, the next couple of weeks as I wrap up should be a little less crazy. I hope they are enjoyable and that I can savour the last couple of weeks of the job I have really enjoyed these past 6 years. So this week I am grateful to see the light at the end of the tunnel...to not feel like I am JUST keeping my head above water but that I can go at a perhaps slightly slower pace and enjoy the journey.

Wanna read about some more gratefuls, head over to Maxabella's...for the last time this year!

the past week or so...

I have...
walked a labyrinth...several times
organised a really cute children's address about sheep
talked to teenagers, one on one, in groups...and in front of the whole school
TRIED to go Christmas shopping
written some Christmas cards
seen an old friend
applied for many jobs
went to the doctor
tried to blog...
cooked many cookies and cupcakes for a bake sale
went to a baby shower
went to a job interview
went to Ronald McDonald house to watch some superstar year 9 drama students
celebrated with special ladies
was given a present...a couple in fact!
spoke on the phone
ate a lot of chocolate
ate a BBQ tea with some special ladies...again and their kids and vicar husbands
went to a swimming carnival
witnessed 7 men be ordained into public ministry
partied with their family and friends
didn't sleep in
succeeded in Christmas shopping
made some bunting
played games
started reading this book...but then had to return it to the library before I was finished
had some hot chocolate dates
celebrated brithdays
cooked a meal for a friend
sang Christmas carols
put the Christmas tree up
welcomed friends home who had been travelling
sang in a band
had hard conversations
booked flights for a summer holiday
....and slept, ate. farted etc etc...
it's been a crazy, full on week or so...

the last of the bunts

I've been meaning to post this for yonks...but with my blog hangover and leaving my camera in several places I never got around to it! My final bunts have arrived...one went waylaid but I got 19 in the end and I love them all. These final ones are from the lovely Yaga, Christina, Cyndy, and Julie. Thank you all!

It was a great swap to be involved in! It's definitely made me think about giving bunting to everyone! I made some for a friend who is expecting a baby. And my sister in law asked me to make some for some cutie pies. It's so easy and fun to make!

19

it's these little ladies birthday today! 19...obviously this photo is a little old...circa 1993...or so

we missed their 18th last year because we flew overseas the day before...

see them when they were 17 here

it has been a real joy to see them grow from these cute (and at the time I sometimes thought annoying) bubbas to the beautiful ladies they are today.

Rebecca Maree is a thoughtful and sensitive lass who is a loyal friend. She can also hold her own, she knows when things aren't quite right, in a justice sense and in a "are you ok" sense. She also can not decide which colour her hair should be...it changes quite regularly! But I like that, it keeps you guessing! She also really likes the on-line store Lucy in the sky...and that is where a lot of her pocket money is spent. She's also a bit of a metal fan.

Courtney Rachel is a motivated and organised little lady. She has a stress streak in her and so get's her assignments for uni done well in advanced. She also has a fiery and fiesty streak in her too. (which I love!) She also knows something about justice- when something isn't fair. (perhaps that has something to do with having siblings you learn that!? or you learn when injustice occurs!). She can spot an op shop bargain from a  mile away and has interesting tastes in shoes and table conversations!

These two are a couple of the best. At times they have seriously peeved me but as we get older and know each other (and don't live in the same house) we have fun together.

Happy birthday beautiful girls!

grateful for surprises

image

but unlike the picture suggests, they were good surprises! Some of which I outlined on Tuesday!

We had a visit from some special friends passing through back to WA, they popped in one night and then we got have breakfast with them and their little bub. It was lovely.

A lovely friend is pregnant. It's very ace news! That takes it up to about 8 ladies I know who are for shiz up the spout and don't just have a food baby...like some of us ;)

I think I am particularly grateful for these happy surprises at this time when life is a bit hectic and chaotic.

For more grateful love head of here 

hung over?

...I think I have a bit of a hang over from Blogtoberfest...and Frocktoberfest...and perhaps life
I can't seem to get on the bloggy band wagon again,. Over the weekend I went to blog but couldn't find my camera...but I remembered that I had had it in my office earlier that day, so though oh well I'll just do that post another time. When I went to work this morning...my camera wasn't where I thought I left it. I thought it might have been stolen, but then I went and checked my work bag again...it had been there all the time. I must have gone blind over the weekend or something?
In the last few weeks life has thrown some curve balls (one such curve ball being a parent from school dying)
but some good balls too (engagements, news of new babies, surprise visits from friends)
I resigned from my job...which is a good thing! It's time for a change and I am very excited about the change and people have been very supportive and excited for me and Tim.
But now a lot of spare time is being used for job applications! :)

I'm going to try for the simple life the next few weeks...we'll see how we go!

E for Ethel

There is a super cute cafe in our suburb, just opened 8 weeks ago! I went and visited yesterday and bought a birthday present for my sissys. It is a lovely space with gifts and coffee. And the owner is super lovely! Like the kind of lady and cafe you want to be first name basis with! :) So if you are in the Adelaide area...go and visit E for Ethel on Melbourne Street. 

frocktober round up...

 Thursday 27th- this is one of my favourite skirts...I can wear it with the blue at the front...or the brown at the front! Bit fun! Bought from Irving baby

 Friday 28th- I have had this dress for so long I forget when I got it...but it's definitely from the Op shop!

 Saturday 29th- I got this dress from a clothes swap...I felt a bit overdressed at the camp I was at to begin with....

 Sunday 30th- This is one of my favourites! It's a maiocchi dress...I love it! Clare got me on to them...I've been googling Adelaide stockist! Luckily there are a few!

Monday 31st October! LAST day of frocktober! I bought this baby out again! it was a little chilly so went for the dress jeans combo! It's been fun wearing my frocks...and I am determined to bring them out more often from now on!