Monday, March 31, 2014

13/52 - "The 52 Project"

Linking up with Jodi at Practising Simplicity to take a portrait of your child every week for 52 weeks. 




"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

James :   Sporting a very "Errol Flynn" fake mustache.
Sienna :  Making play dough animals to go into a little backdrop of a farm.

Sunday, March 23, 2014

STILLS: WEEKLY COLLECTION - NATURE EDITION (WEEK 12)

We had a very busy day yesterday starting at 9 am and basically being in and out of the house right up until 7 pm which included a kids 3 hour drama workshop, baking and icing a banana cake, a trip to the library, chemist and grocery shop and visiting a friend.  It was full on and by the time we went to bed we were exhausted.  I was watching TV at 9 pm and was nodding off and couldn't keep away any longer.  I had decided that today, being Sunday we would stay at home and do absolutely nothing.  When I, as a mother say, "absolutely nothing" that means, spend and hour and a half sorting out the garage, washing and pegging two loads of washing including stripping the bed sheets off all the beds, ironing (haven't gotten to that yet), feeding the family and generally answering all those mother/kid related questions every 5 minutes like "is it morning tea time, what's for lunch, can we ride out scooters on the road, can I have an ice block, can I have my iPod, can I pay x-box, etc. etc. those sort of  "do nothing days at home".

Last week we bought some organic sausages from the markets which I had thawed out for dinner last night but decided to have them today instead.   Around midday I decided we should get out of the house for an hour or so and have a BBQ lunch at Bellbird Grove.  As Sienna is on crutches we can't go very far but I just wanted some fresh air, big trees and a bit of nature to break up our day.  I packed really lightly:- ice water, orange juice, loaf of bread, the sausages, sauce, one knife, one set of tongs, a few sheets of paper towels, camera, plastic plates and cups and off we went just a 10 minute drive from home.

There was lots of wildlife spotting today and when we got there we saw 3 kookaburras and James was thrilled to be able to cook the sausages.  We ate our lunch while playing eye-spy and then Sienna spotted a really big lizard which the kids followed around for about 10 minutes or so and then we packed up and came home.  It was so lovely just to get out for an hour and a half so close to home and then it was back to pegging the other sheets on the line which were still in the washing machine, unpacking the lunch stuff and I made the kids sit down and watch a DVD as Sienna needed to rest her foot.  So basically we had a "stay at home day" with the exception of a lovely bit of nature and organic sausages for lunch.  Here's some memories from today.  There is nothing like a bit of nature to make you feel good and the kids agreed.  Check out all the wildlife we saw in our one hour visit.  Linking up with Emma at The Beetle Shack for Weekly Stills Collection.

Some Kookburra's which are Australian Native Birds.

The newly nicknamed "Hoppy" after rolling her ankle this week playing at school.

James wanting to cook the sausages on the BBQ instead of me.

Sienna had no problem chasing this bush turkey while she was on crutches which was quite comical to watch.

I love the tall trees at Bellbird Grove.

A detailed map of D'Aguilar National Park where Bellbird Grove is situated.

Sienna spotted this Monitor Lizard so the kids followed it around for about 10 minutes.  We think it could be pregnant because it has a big belly that was low to the ground.


James indicating to Sienna to keep still.

I don't know who was watching who more closely.  The kids watching the lizard or the lizard watching the kids.  I was watching all of them.




James keeping an eye on the monitor lizard from on top of the table.

Now it was wandering off to another area of the park but they followed it for a little bit longer, it's to the left of them.

And a family portrait before we go using the self timer.

And little "Hoppy" making her way to the car.

I made her stop because I liked the lighting....she's very good to me like that.

12/52 - "The 52 Project"

Linking up with Jodi at Practising Simplicity to take a portrait of your child every week for 52 weeks. 



"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

James :   He was very keen to cook the sausages for me on the BBQ at Bellbird Grove.

Sienna :  She had to get an x-ray on her foot this week as she rolled it really badly and is on crutches and 3 days later it's still very sore so it's going to be a good week or so on crutches.

Sunday, March 16, 2014

STILLS : A WEEKLY COLLECTION (WEEK 11)

Linking up with Emma from The Beetle Shack for Weekly Stills.

Sienna's stuffed Owls left outside on the table.

Our first lemon for the season.

I finished the Rag Quilt that I was making for James this week.

Both of them comparing their Rag Quilts.  James Quilt is a little shorter but wider.

James with his money box safe trying to stop the alarm going off.

I purchased this pattern and made this little doggie for Sienna this week.

Sienna loves her little doggie which she called "Sausage Dog".

I went to use my laptop this week and found a beautiful note from my daughter which made me smile.

Around our home.  A favourite portrait of the kids and I taken in November 2008.

Sienna's pet lizards that sadly were eaten by a toad that jumped into the bucket overnight and gobbled up.  Sienna was very upset and she played with these lizards before and after school for days.

Love my coffee in these cups.

Afternoon light and the patterns on the floor which I'm drawn to.

Farmers Markets on Sunday

Orange Juice Ice Block treats for the kids.

Market signs.

11/52 - "The 52 Project"

Linking up with Jodi at Practising Simplicity to take a portrait of your child every week for 52 weeks. 




"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

James :   Weekend down time on the x-box.
Sienna :  Teaching her lizard to swing off the vine by it's tail which it did do.  And another photo showing a close up of the lizards.

Sunday, March 9, 2014

STILLS : A WEEKLY COLLECTION (WEEK 10)

Linking in with Emma at The Beetle Shack for Week 10 of Weekly Stills.  How time flies when you are having fun with 10 weeks of weekly stills already.

Weekends are for a little bit of x-box time.

Hand picked today.

Tying to take a photo of Sienna and I in the mirror although she is a little short.

Belated Birthday celebrations today for Sienna with my family as this was when everyone could catch up.

Me and my beautiful happy, funny, warm and loving 8 year old with an Owl birthday hat on.

Sienna with her cousin Matthew.

I made the chocolate birthday cake this morning and Granny (my Mum) gave Sienna these two cute owls so we popped them onto the birthday cake.  Everyone knows Sienna loves owls.

And another go at blowing out the "8" birthday candle.

Inspired by a friend who had this pattern I'm going to make Sienna a couple of little dresses with cute little owls and roosters, couldn't find any chickens.  She loves blue as well so these will look cute.  I have to finish making James Rag Quilt first then onto these little dresses.

We have lots of Gecko's around here and this one was on the outside of the toilet window.

On entry to James room and the fantastic Calligraphy he tried at Christmas time.

James reading in bed.

James and Sienna looking through a school library book (I think).

This photo made me smile and laugh and happy all at the same time.  I walked in to check on Sienna as I do after she's asleep and this is what I found on the floor.  Some glow sticks on the floor from the door way leading to her bed.  It just cracked me up because (i) I was not expecting it and (ii) it was so adorable.  The next day she said it was so she could see in the night time if she had to go to the toilet.  I had to get a photo of it which was extremely hard as it's a mostly black photo but the door on the left, and the glow sticks on the floor and her bed is just past the top glow stick.  I love my kids.

Yes, our wheelbarrow is getting a work out as a place to hang out in.  Sienna making some elastic band bracelets which was a gift from her BFF.

Lots of lovely bright colours of elastic bands to make bracelets.  James is wearing a couple in the top photo playing the x-box.

Sienna reading the Guinness Book of Records in bed.