Sunday, October 11, 2015

the sunset series..










This sunset walk was more of an early twilight walk, still so pretty with those soft moody greys before the rain.  We were all exhausted and looking forward to an early dinner and movie night after a crazy busy start the the school term.

Yesterday my darling biggest boy turned 14.

Look at him, all broody and lost in thought.  He's not a great fan of our sunset birthday tradition, or having his picture taken, but here he is doing it anyway, for me. He does things like that.

He makes me proud every single day.

This year, he joined the Australian Air Force Cadets, and he's so in his element.  He's responsible and committed, and rises to every challenge.  I love his focus..but I do miss his long hair.  One day he wants to be a pilot, and I love that he's taken it upon himself to begin working towards this goal at such an early age.

He's easing into these teenage years with calm and a quiet confidence.  Navigating his way slowly, but purposefully. Things might change, I shouldn't speak too soon, but so far he's making the parenting a teen pretty easy work.  We know already this most likely will not be the case with his siblings, so we're lapping it up for now!  If you've been a reader of my blog for a while, you might recall all the challenging times we've had with our big boy so far.  Perhaps the most difficult time are behind us.  Fingers crossed.

Sure, the traditional birth story on the eve of his birthday is wearing thin, he eye rolls just about everything his brothers say and do, he likes to give us a good head start on family bike rides, and we're good to just drop him off a little way from where ever he's going, but that's ok with me.  We have a little giggle and give him his space, and then every evening when the others have all gone to bed, he comes downstairs to sit with us, to watch a bit of tele together, to have a good laugh and to chat.  And this is one of my most  favourite parts of every day.


(all pictures taken by my sweetheart, thank you Nick)

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

taking stock..




when in a blogging funk, take stock with Pip's list..

Making: body exfoliating cloths from raw linen
Cooking: chow mein
Drinking: a crisp white wine on those warm evenings we had recently, ahh felt like summer 
Reading: To Kill A Mockingbird for the first time since year 8 (albeit very slowly)
Wanting: a holiday
Looking: for the perfect pair of bathers, I don't know if there is such a thing (urgh!)
Playing: hookey on the back deck
Deciding: what to do for the big boys 14th birthday 
Wishing: we could afford both money and time to make some home improvements
Enjoying: warmth, finally after a very long winter
Waiting: for November when my mum and dad move to town, permanently!
Liking: hanging the washing outside and it drying the very same day
Wondering: how the heck I'm going to make our office (in the living area) look good with a second work station
Loving: beach swims after school
Pondering: 3 year old kinder, to go or not to go?
Considering: a season pass to Adventure Park for xmas, we've been once and its a 5min drive away
Buying: op shopped bits and pieces for the kids school concert costumes
Watching: Frozen..still 
Hoping: I can keep the rose clipping from mum and dad's very first home alive at my house

Marvelling: at the depth and content of Olive's imaginative play, she blows my mind
Cringing: at the awful things people say 
Needing: a haircut
Questioning: weather its time for a professional colour to beat those greys, and time to stop doing it myself
Smelling: the ocean air and spring blossoms and mozzie spray
Wearing: skirts and open shoes 
Following: the Humans of New York refugee series, the lives people live is unfathomable
Noticing: the neighbours porch looks into our living room since we had to cut the fruit trees back
Knowing: we need a higher fence
Thinking: I might go and see the new Toni Collette, Drew Barrymore movie..all on my own, its been years
Admiring: my hardworking, patient man 
Sorting: through all the stuff! 
Getting: rid of most of it!
Bookmarking: blogs, but never finding the time to go back to read them
Coveting: beautiful handmade homewares for those home improvements we can't yet afford
Disliking: the ugly new houses replacing beautiful old ones in our town
Opening: happy mail 
Giggling: at Olive complimenting my singing in the car
Feeling: blessed to live where we live, especially this time of year
Snacking: too much
Helping: a two year old learn to share
Hearing: too many sad news stories