The Things I Forgot To See

I have not felt very 'bloggy' over the past few months.

There has been a lot going on and I have not felt very settled.

Therefore I had forgotten to see the things worth seeing. 

But I am back!

Lucky for me or I may have missed these spider webs with the early morning rays sparkling through.

 

 Nature's little beauties.

Rust and twists.

 Elephant skin trees.

 A message may have not got through...

...to look down, right now, and find this flattened coin.

I am going to make it into a necklace to remind me to see.

Pip's letter to Santa

Dear Father Christmas, I would really like: 3 Barbies. Cinderella carriage. Barbie house with shower. Barbie bus. BBQ - a pink thing(?!) 5 dresses. Toy barbie dog. Barbie dog catcher (as in a man dog catcher). Forest with tigers that say roar. Barbie dog called Hatred. 3 bedrooms. From Pippa Bit of a theme going on there don't you think. I'm curious about the dogs name though.

Is it a...? Oh, yes it is!

 Yes, it is what you think it is.

It amazes me how much fun my kids have with these things.

They have built aeroplanes, animals and huge messes.

 

I have tried hiding them but gave in and decided to let the creativity flow.

Animal Update

 

I must say, it has been very remiss of me not to have introduced

our sweet little singer 'Duffy.'

Duffy is a pretty little canary we bought a couple of months ago.

He is a joy.

He is joyful.

He is yellow and lovely.

We called him Duffy as Jack has a book from Nana Mac

about The Little Red Train.

It's characters are Jack the Guard and Duffy Driver.

Lucy Duck has gone insane. She is sitting on an unfertilized clutch of eggs.

(Unless Daddy or Roger Duck are actually boys!)

She is wild and mean.

I actually admired her pretty feather lined nest until I realized

she was plucking them from her friends.

We think it was she who drove Rock and Roll Chicken from the coop.

We suspect Rock and Roll has left our band forever and has joined another.

Let's hope she's playing groovy music somewhere out there!

All others in our animal family are happily swimming, clucking,

tweeting and woofing along nicely.

I won't even get started on the humans though!

Oh, by the way.

If you feel like leaving feedback and have not been able to do so, have another try,

I think I've solved the problem.

Happy 3rd Birthday Pippi

Seven Deadly Sins and Barbie

Pride is one of the deadly sins. I googled it.

Pride is actually the number one deadly sin and the sin from which all others stem.

Oh well, tough.

I am proud of this cake.

There you go I said it.

I am stoked with this cake.

By the oooohhhs and aaahhhhs it received everyone agreed what a lovely thing it is.

 I think I have found my calling.

No repentance.

Amen!

More party photos to follow...

Party Planner

I feel like a sneak. I feel like I have a guilty secret.

Secretly, I am a little obsessed.

No, not really.

But I am quietly enjoying myself party planning for Pip's 3rd birthday party.

We went to a party today and came home looking like this...

I have been Googling pink parties, Barbie parties, Barbie cakes

and at times quickly switch off if someone walks into the room.

When surrounded by a disasterously accident prone family,

what could be more cheerful than pink, pink, pink.

 

Look at what I have already. Parcel parcel (pass the parcel to others) is wrapped and sorted.

Tiaras. Princessy stash bags. Birthday bunting.

 Sorted my pink and gold fabric stash to decorate and 'pink up' the deck.

 Planned very fancy cupcakes.

(Where are my Barbie cupcake ring toppers Mr. Ebay?)

Individualized Barbie drink bottles.

Presents are bought and wrapped. Got the card.

Now I just have to do all the work.

Lost Or Stolen Or Strayed

                                                 NAME:           ROCK AND ROLL CHICKEN

                              

POSSIBLY LAST SEEN FLYING BACKWARDS

IN STRONG NORTHERLY WIND

MONDAY AFTERNOON

Canola Dance Queen

Sometimes when the fancy takes you to do something silly,

spontaneous and wacky, you just have to do it.

We drove past this paddock and when I asked Pip

"Do you want to dance in the flowers?"

The "Yes please!" was so heart felt we just had to do it.

A policeman even drove past us and waved.

Do something odd today, I dare you.

Measures of Success

 For me, it has never been about how much money I earn,

or how flash the car, or even how fancy the clothes.

Let's face it.

I've never earnt good money, my cars have just been cars

and I am far more comfortable in work boots and jeans than anything else.

I used to measure success at work by teaching the kids

useful social skills - catching the bus,

learning their phone number. Safe sex.

How things have changed.

Just now, I was making my bed.

It is quite possibly the fifth time I have done it today.

I realized that these days I measure success

by keeping up with the washing,

leaving the house with all beds made,

not yelling too many times in a day,

getting at least some fruit and veggies into the kids.

Today was pretty successful by these standards.

We got to kinder almost on time.

I did 2 loads of washing.

The house is clean and beds are made.(For now.)

I cut apple into "apple chips" so it was eaten.

We are going to a reptile birthday party soon.

Life is getting back into the swing of things.

With the last few weeks of upheaval,

I've realized that I really like my boring old

kinder, swimming lesson, ballet class Mum routine.

Trauma Nurse

 After the disasterous couple of weeks we have had I decided to go by the theory
'If you haven't got anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."
The last thing I wanted to do was to get all philosophical and try to find meaning and discuss inner strength. Best just let it go unblogged.

I was thinking today however, that I could have done with one of those funny little trauma teddies they give kids in hospital.
So I got on to Ric Rac Softie Tutorial and made myself a little Trauma Nurse Puppet.
Pip says it is hers and I will let her think that, but really, Nurse Pinky is mine.

It's Exhausting Being This Cute.

At ballet, it is important to listen to Miss Brigit.

It is vital to twirl.

 You must point your toes.

Chocolate cake feet and plie`.

 Listen to the music to see how it makes you feel.

Is it any wonder I get so tired?

Out With The Old. In With The New.

Soon the old abalone sheds and slipway are going to be removed.

A multi-million dollar, state of the art amphitheatre is going to be built in its place.

A place where visitors can sit behind glass and watch the giant stingrays feed.

I am not sure how I feel about this. Whilst I am not anti-progress, I am nostalgic.

I admit I had trouble with the thought of the old 'creek'

being upgraded into the pristine harbour that it is now.

Then again, I am there at least twice a week. 

We take the kids for walks there, eat icecreams and drink coffee,

 climb the tower and look at the boats, we have even gone fishing.

I can't say I would have done the same in its old state of dilapidation.

I hope there will still be places around to explore that are not perfect,

places of rough and rugged beauty.

I can't help but like dilapidation.

I'm attracted to rust and old timbers and peeling paint.



I want the kids to connect to the towns history and its stories.

To enjoy the wonders of nature and the freedom to interact within it.

To take chances sometimes and risk a fall or two.

.

 Get their feet wet, clothes grubby and get stuck into it.

I just want happy, healthy, fun loving kids...

...and I've got them.