photo fun...

I'm super excited to have my new iphone and step into the modern age.  While hubby was busily setting up all the important stuff, all I really cared about was getting Instagram up & running!

and here it is, FUN!
Random snaps around the house this morning..

the big school boy's 1st reader for the year, read about a thousand times before dinner last night & again this morning..

and my heart aches just a bit as I watch him march into class for another big day...

more creative spaces here...

celebrate..

4o!!

The day has arrived, the night has been and gone.  I have been truly spoiled by beautiful friends & family, and feel very, very grateful indeed..

everything looked fabulous at night time too, with fairy lights & candles in abundance twinkling all around.

Today I am grateful for celebrations...

fairy lights

candles

perfect warm weather

sangria

paella

champagne

cake

chocolate covered strawberries

ice creams

gorgeous people

great music

dancing shoes

join Maxabella here.

summer snippets..

goodbye summer holidays, what a joy you were!  Loads of lazy beach days, hanging around home days, family, friends, books, board games, quiet time..bliss!

A snippet of our summer...

a highlight: seeing super talent Busby Marou live!  Look at me, busting excited!!

going bush..

boat dreaming..

boat reality...

beach cricket.. 

backyard cricket..

practice runs..

camping..of sorts..

barefoot bowls..

chillin'..

summer harvesting.. 

We did a whole lot of nothing, yet we crammed so much in. 

School tomorrow, baby's first day...sigh...

learning...

I'm turning 40 in a week! Birthdays always make me reflective, another year down, what's been done, what's ahead...

I've been thinking a lot recently about this milestone, the big four-OH.  Mostly because of the party I'm planning, having loads of fun with that, but also what I've learned now that I'm 40...

So here's a few things I've come to know...

• firstly, and most surprisingly, those pretty silk eye masks to block out the light are not just for princesses & movie stars! I found one in my undies drawer recently & it has given me an extra hour of sleep most mornings these holidays!
• it's taken a long time but I am finally comfortable in my skin! Yep, that's huge! I have come to realise that I don't really care what other people think about how I look anymore.  Sure I'd like to change some things (these were hardworking, breastfeeding breasts after all) but this is it, it's what I've been given and really, it's not that bad! I feel pretty good for 40..
• while talking of body's, I have also learned that something happens to your knees when you get to 40, they are just not very flattering..
• when people are unkind, or passively try to put you down, it's not about you, it's all about them & their unhappiness
• the grass is rarely greener, enjoy what you have
• raising children really does get harder, challenges kick up a notch with every passing year! I'd always thought they were just saying that..
• it's always better late than never, always!
• random dancing around the house is necessary & should be done often (even if it means you're caught out by the delivery man..)
• board games are such a valuable way to spend family time
• when a door slammed in anger breaks it is best not to fix it
• I would often just wade or bob around in the waves, but going under the water at the beach has an extraordinary soul cleansing power
• precautionary worming & headlice treatments are a must at the end of every term
• when the cupboards are bare the best dinner for the troops is a banana smoothy with an egg in it & toast, everyone's happy!
• making time to love your man & be loved is not a chore, why did it often seem that way before..

...just a few, imagine what I'll know in another 40 years...

plans...

In keeping with my word for 2012, I have a birthday coming up, the big four-OH!  I was going to let it pass quietly by, but what's not to celebrate I say?!!

So I've been planning, making decorations and buying the city out of fairy lights!  I've also started on these three jar lights & still have loads more to go.  Inspiration here has been sought from many, many of you clever folk, I've been wanting to try them for ages, I think they'll look quite amazing strung up in their masses...

I love all the planning for these exciting events, in fact I think I enjoy the party preparation more than the party most of the time..

cool pieces...

boy it's hot out there today!!  I'm taking some time to escape the heat with some cool crocheted pieces...

I love this little duo, one for the neck and one for the wrist.  They'll be back in store again soon...

value..

I read an article in the paper today, grateful that there are people out there to be my voice, who can see things the way I see them and 'get' that family is, well pretty much it, everything..

As most of you know, that very controversial topic of being a stay at home mum is one I am extremely passionate about.  I know we all make choices we believe are the best for our families, we do whatever it is we have to do to keep things running smoothly to give our kids the best life we know how to give, and we all choose to do that differently.  Each to their own, whatever works for you, I'm certainly never going to judge a parent for doing what they need to do & what they believe is right for their family.  

I do feel however that the 'work' done at home by a full time parent is so desperately under valued.  For us, we chose early on that one of us would be the primary full time carer for our children, in our case it's me.  We chose to go with less, to simplify things & not need so much.  We don't go on holidays (but then we live in the most beautiful place, so I certainly don't feel like we're missing out), we don't really do anything too big or elaborate, and with high school for the big boy only 2 years away, we need to be very careful about what we spend our money on.  It's hard when you hear your kids feeling a little bit sorry for themselves, that they don't do all these fabulously exciting things or have the biggest, the latest & the best of everything.  They don't realise it yet, of course, but they don't know just how insignificant all of that 'stuff' is. 

It's taken me a very long time to stop feeling inadequate about my role, being lucky enough to stay at home and to be available to my boys at any given time.  To stop seeing myself as I feel so many people do, feeling as though I'm this 'kept' woman, a princess living a privileged life, being taken care of by my strong hardworking man.  The role I play is in fact very important and we work hard together in raising this family the best way we know how.

So yes, it can be hard, but it will all be worth it if it means that our kids are being brought up in a happy, secure & for the most part stress free environment.  At the same time there is huge pressure being the primary carer, being the one to shape these little people for the future of this world.

So thank you Rachel Buchanan, for having your say & for speaking for so many of us, for making perfectly logical sense!  Though, no offence but I must say that your 'bad' day where you feel like the 1950's housewife is in fact my best day, but that's just my perspective...

On another note, if anyone knows how to stop those text enhancement boxes coming up on particular words can you please share..x

enjoy...

every year I try to make a new year's resolution, something kind of big, to push me a bit to make me step outside the comfort zone..  

The fact is though, I never really do and then I feel like I failed myself just a bit..again!  So this year, I decided to keep it real, simple & honest... 

My new years resolution is to just enjoy this life I have.  I have it pretty good I reckon, and so I'm going to just get on with enjoying it!

Time is racing by and my babies are growing up quick.  I don't want to turn around one day and say "gee I wish I had just taken the time to enjoy those moments more".  I want to make the most of each and every day, even the tough ones, and goodness knows there's a lot of them!  

I want to go to bed at night and feel full of all the good stuff.  I want to feel pleased about the way I handled a difficult moment, to have my heart filled with special words spoken by brothers & imaginations loaded with adventure, and to cherish love shared with my husband, the simple everyday stuff that makes this life so good..


Do you make new years resolutions? Share your 2012 word for the year over at Maxabella's..