Today I was great-full for a wonderful weekend....
I thanked my children for getting ready so well this morning......
I told my girls how beautiful they are.....
I made Christmas tree shaped cheese and biscuits......
I went for a walk with my husband and son and we bumped unexpectedly into numerous friends that we otherwise may not of caught up with before Christmas.....
I held my son tightly and kissed him each time I got him out of the car....
I got my children a cup of milk and snack before they asked.....
I was extra patient and calm today....
I read to my children two extra books this evening.....
Last night while driving home quiet late from Ocean Grove a car that was speeding and overtaking on a bend narrowly missed us.....head on.
In the previous town i'd slowed down a little to show the kids the lights, if I'd not done this I'd hate to think what could of happened to my family.....
After we were safe I honked my horn, we didn't need to swerve of the road or anything , but I can still just see the headlights in our eyes.
Thankfully a few moments later we had to stop for a train...I held my husbands hand, tears wanting to fall, I looked back at my children, safely asleep....what if? was all I could think, I thought of my family and the loved ones we'd just kissed goodbye ....what if....?
Thank you for looking out for us and protecting us...I wish everyone especially the young could be guaranteed safety and protection....but they cannot...our hearts break and we sob why? Tonight i am thinking of the many precious young souls and those brave heroes who were taken from their families.

Ho Ho Ho!......

Hello!  I hope everyone is enjoying the season, the beginning of holidays for many of us in Aussie land!
I love holidays, I love warm weather, I love Christmas, I love giving and receiving presents, I adore my memories of Christmas and Santa and watching Christmas carols on the 24th and love that those experiences are our children's now to have, I love the family catch ups, the drinks with friends and the bubbley with sisters and cousins, I love planning the coming year with my husband, our children excitedly decorating the tree, Christmas shopping, making decorations and surprise visits from Santa at (it seems) every gathering during December!
I'm blessed that I get to be at home during this busy time and that work deadlines are not interfering with Christmas planning and the numerous events that pop up.  I used to be that person, working huge hours, busiest time of the year  that we'd been planning for since early October.  I once worked Christmas Day, it was toward the end of my Chef apprenticeship  and I swore never to do that again.
Sometimes we are in a rush or the day is not working out as planned or we are trying to juggle many things at once...I know but try to think of the beauty in the season, look at the children around you counting down the sleeps, stop competing for the best Turkey, Center piece, outfit and appreciate those pesky relatives that you dread,  take your time to get to your destination if your late...to bad, don't fight it, go with it, smile when things go wrong and continue on and if your a lucky one blessed with time to count sleeps until Santa's arrival than appreciate those less fortunate for whatever reason, show some compassion and forgiveness and top it of with a smile!!!  HO HO HO....xx

What are you up to?

Today we are.....
Painting faces
Making and eating healthy cookies!!!
One of us resting with a bad cough
Playing Lego
Dodging small Lego pieces in bare feet
Washing new outfits ready for the warm weather ahead
Planning a lavish waterfront picnic and my trip to Sydney next year
Making Christmas decorations and lazing by the fire....
Waiting very patiently for Ben to return home, me to finish sewing the advent calendar, summertime and Santa!!!!!

No computer!?....

A quick little write today while our muffins are a cookin'.  We've had a great little week and although a touch of gastro stopped it in its tracks (almost) we've recuperated with movie overdose and some much needed gardening!  The unfortunate part to the week (apart from two sick Little's) was the girls missing their ballet break-up oh and I missed out on a very cool outdoor setting on eBay.
Today my husbands laptop ( which is nearly bigger than our analogue tv) (we really are very tech poor) decided to stare at me with a blank screen.....I've tapped it in the right places, control, alt and deleted it  6 times and of course reloaded it a few times.... Nope nothing.  I promised myself that today I would catchup on blogs and nurture my own a little and I'm finding the whole experience a little constrictive on my Iphone.  My eyes are squinting, my hand is cramping and I'm over the limit in data so Golly knows how much this afternoon is going to cost me!!
I hope that everyone is well, I'm still not jogging, still haven't made that appointment to Physio but am weaning myself of the pressure bandage that I'm living in and am looking forward to the next chapter when I can start walking with the pram again, while dreaming of the day I can run freely to the point of exhaustion.  Who would of thought while doing all the right things, stretching, shoe inserts, new shoes, staggered training, healthy diet and pacing myself that I could hurt my leg in such a way that has taken about 7weeks to recover.  I'm sure there is a lesson in this for me somewhere down the track (another lesson in patience perhaps)
Well I'm of for a cuppa and to continue sewing some Christmas decorations, another lesson in patience there! Xx

My Little Ballerina's.....

Yesterday Scarlett and Lily had their Ballet Recital, It's their second year at ballet and last year Lil was very upset and frightened at the prospect of being dropped of at the theatre without mama (this is surprising as Lil is usually quite brave in these situations and Scarlett freaks out) anyway this year my girls and all of the littlies were so excited, they had so many questions,  there was so much noise and anticipation "do we go up yet Miss?"  "Excuse me, when can we put this (bright red lipstick) on?"  (only one little sweetie attempted this herself) and  yes I got called Miss and Renee and Mum!??  I just loved it it's such an exciting day, these little angels are so brave and cute and the older girls are so beautiful and nurturing as they pop down to admire the cuteness, taffeta and make-up everywhere amongst the 4 & 5 year olds.

I am most definitely "one of those Mums" although I'm modest out loud, inside I am bursting at the seams!!!  I've never been so proud seeing my baby girls so excited and independent for a moment as they go out on stage.  It's their thing, we as Mama's  only watch them at the end of each term on viewing day so its very exciting for the families to see the big performance.  I have tears in my eyes each and every time I watch them dance if I was alone those tears would wet my face.  

My sister in law is a dancer and my mother in law was very involved and adored the ballet as do I and so it's a family thing for us also, I know my beautiful mother in law watches these little angels from heaven with a proud tear in her eye.

Ands so now we enjoy a break from buns and tutu's, they will be replaced with bathers, salty hair and tanned skin.  xx   

A little bit of lately.....

Sunny for a day or two and then fireplace roaring, t-shirts and sunscreen and than chicken  soup cooking on the stove.  Yes summer is teasing us although we are all hopeful that it shall soon be lovely and warm....regularly.
 Christmas to do lists are on fire.  Last year I made a recycled fabric wreath for our door and I received some lovely feedback and so this year I'm sewing an advent calendar and also some Christmas tree decorations, I will take some photo's once they're under way!  I've also  started Christmas shopping and I'm sticking to a budget this year, does anybody else find that once they start they cannot stop?!!  We have a lot of social commitments of late which is fun and keeps us busy until Ben returns home, also a kinder concert in a couple of weeks and Saturday is the girls Ballet recital which I'm more excited about than them...almost.
 The kids, myself and my Dad went to a Christmas Fete on Sunday, a beautiful day so relaxing, the kids overdosed on sugar and played with the animals and rode go-carts Eddy was deliberately trying to clip the edge of the witches hat  with the wheel of the go-cart and while concentrating so hard on lining it up he rode over everything in his path including the attendant and most of the inflatable boundary.  The entire crowd was in hysterics while my  little boy caused complete chaos on the track.  I had a few photo's to upload of the day however my computer decided the images were not video or photo and could not be uploaded.
My leg update is so so, I was beginning to feel as though  I'd been beaten  by the pain, I was having to take painkillers twice a day for 5 days and this was upsetting me sooo much, I'm definitely a "let your body fight it" type of girl I even managed to birth my beautiful boy without any assistance.  Mum suggested a tubey thing (it's like a tight bandage) and blow me down it works, no more sharp pain or throbbing, no more waking at 4am no more crying while doing the dishes (a crazy day and painful and then the dog ate two more of our pet chickens!)  Yep I was losing that battle for a while, point being listen to your Mums!!
We are all well and happy though looking after each other and feeling quite inspired by the (slow) change in seasons, I'm trying to do little bits and pieces in the garden and dreaming of Christmas feasts and creative nibbles for all of those picnics and drinks in the summery future!  We are yet to build our mud kitchen in the garden, once my leg heals there are many things I'd like to catch up on but meanwhile being forced to slow down and sew (for example) is really, really good for me and almost what I've needed. xx

I would like to...

Be within the first twenty women to finish a fun run.
Learn to use our Nikon manually
Be pregnant next year,
Be a peaceful, happy mama everyday
Find the time to indulge in more creative activities
Grow a flourishing veggie garden
Watch my daughters dance in their end of year recital
Be there for my husband
Have a big messy Christmas full of family, wrapping paper, food and laughter
Sew some curtains
Remember all of my childrens funny and inquisitive moments
Hold my husband tight