Grateful for Friends...

This week I am grateful for friends.

I am very lucky to have landed some lovely friends in my life.  Being that I am not your usual friend.  How many people would you make friends with, knowing that they were going to pack their house up and move to another state a year or two later?

I have friends that I am still in contact with from school and friends that I know that I have not made the effort and phoned or written to in a while (really should get onto that shouldn't I)

There are friends that have come into my life through the moving and ones that I have met and struck up a friendship with over this blog and met in real life once arriving and unpacking at a destination.
It took me a long time to feel settled in here. Steph is beyond lovely and am hoping that she will be a life long friend even after we leave.

There are those that don't want to be my friend when I tell them what my husband does.  I don't blame them - why make a friend, when you know that it is only for a short time and not a long time.



What has helped alot this year is the Mum's at school.  They are all so lovely and friendly.  I have struck up a real friendship with one Mum from school and she made me a cuppa the other day.

She made me a heart in my coffee - If you pop over for a coffee, please don't expect me to be able to pull this off, it was a once in a lifetime cuppa.


Linking up with Maxabellaloves

Of Princesses and Queens...

Don't worry I am not about to bore you to tears with more photos of Kate and Will.

I thought that I would share a few photos of what I came across yesterday while having a late breakfast with a friend after school drop off.

We popped into Paddington Antique Centre and was as though we stepped into a Royal Celebration of a time gone by.

Where it all started, this could so easily have been another families story and not Elizabeth, Charles or William's at all.

I wonder how many of these we will find in 30 years with Kate and Will stuck in Dianna's place.

Martel will be all over this by Christmas (truth be known the are sitting waiting for the dress to be revealed)

and what do you think.  Would they talk to me if I turned up to the reception wearing this number?

Sorry about the quality of the photo's - they were taken quickly on my phone.  Are you going to sit and watch the Wedding?  I will tape it and let Amelia watch Kate walk down the ailse in the morning.  She is a little excited that someone is becoming a Princess tonight.

and exhale...

WOW, what a weekend.

ANZAC Day was thrown into the middle of the Easter Weekend this year.

I braved the crowd and took the kids into the city to see the march and to catch a glimpse of Tim.

We then went over to South Bank and caught up with Jennie and her family and true to form her daughter managed to require medical assistance.  (only a scratch this time - not as bad as the chin incident a few weekend ago)

We finished off the holidays with a trip into GOMA to see the21st Century Exhibit, remind me next time not to leave it until the last day to go and see an exhibit.

These three could have been left at the Lego for the day.

Easter...

Happy Easter to all.

Hope that the hopping friend visited you today and left some eggs along the way.  The Easter Bilby stops by here (It is a husband thing, he grew up on a farm and the rabbit was always seen as a pest and he likes the idea of the Bilby)

Amelia drew an Easter Bilby at School (when everyone else was drawing his cousin the Easter Bunny)

I love him and love that even in a room with 20 other friends she has the confidence to be herself.

We enjoyed a day with family, church and finished off with a wonderful roast pork dinner and a glass of wine.

I am off to bed and waking early to attend dawn parade with my husband.  I will have a gunfire breakfast for you shall I?  Then it will be home to get the kids and head in to see the ANZAC Day march (am I crazy heading into the city with two children in the hope that they catch a side view of their father as he marches past (and for your information, one man in uniform looks the same as another - all have short hair and are wearing their hats, I have no hope of finding him) And then off to South Bank to meet up with a wonderful friend (who is apparently going to attempt to sweet talk my husband into moving back to Canberra (he would go tomorrow - just have to work on the powers that be!)

 I love that these baskets are now into there fourth year of use:)

 

He Lives Happy Easter! Allelujah!
Jesus Christ, He lives!
Serve Him to receive salvation;
Eternal life he gives! By Joanna Fuchs

Back...

from here...

Back to reality and dreaming.  Have found a piece of land near where we may end up next year and sat dreaming of a little house on a hill away from the hussle of city life.  It only took 5 days, 5 days to work out that we are not really city people and would much rather a country change.

Will be back to share some more photos of our trip.

If you need us...

We will be here...

 
See you before the Bilby arrives:)

Decorating Eggs

Blown eggs turned into a bit of fun for the kids (after the parents got there breath back)

A simple activity, just add eggs, glue and crepe paper with children and let them go for it.

I love crafts where children are aloud to do as they please:)

Tip:  To make the egg shells a little stronger after blowing them, squirt some water threw the blowing holes and shake out, then place in the microwave for approx 40 seconds - only one child managed to break his out of 21 so that was not bad.

Joining in with Creative Collectives Easter Happenings

Little Nests

I volunteered to cook with Amelia's class yesterday.
Crazy, maybe, but I had fun and enjoyed it and it reminded me of why I loved my job before I had the kids.

20 eager and interested children watched as we turned chocolate, noodles and MnM's into little nests.

If you would like to try this at home (that is if you have not had enough chocolate yet!) you will need
200g of cooking chocolate (we used the buttons)
1 packet of fried egg noodles (from the Asian isle of the supermarket
a few MnM's for each (you could also use the candy coated chocolate if you can find them)

Melt chocolate in the microwave or stove top.  Mix in and noodles.  Spoon onto greaseproof paper and decorate with MnM's.  Refrigerate and enjoy.

 Also found on the back of the fried egg noddles packet - they call them Chocolate Spiders and also add peanut butter (which I left out due to allergies in the class)

Linking up with Creative Collectives Easter Happenings

this week...

How was your week?  I managed to get a few things on my list done.  Everything but the creme eggs.

this week... I am knitting to a deadline - although I am being disruppted by a little boy who just wants cuddles.

this week... I really want to get into GoMa, by all reports it is amazing and is only open until the 25th of April.


this week... I need to sit down and write out a menu for our camp trip and get to the store and buy it all and then pack the camper for our mini trip away over the week in the lead up to Easter. We are trying out the Thermo Cooker tonight - thought that I had better try it out before we head away for the week.

 this week... I need to work out how the easter bunny will keep the eggs from melting while camping.

Dancing...

Miss Amelia danced up a storm in her new little black and white number.

A mens shirt that I picked up for $2 at the opshop. Was turned into a dress fit for a 5 year old at the 11th hour.

Not having a lot in her wardrobe that fit the 'black and white' theme.  I drew on the shirt to dress tutorial over at Made.  I winged it though (the pattern is for a 2-3 year old) I used a basic outline of a dress and added a frilly sleeve.  Black binding around the next and she was ready to dance the night away in sparkly black shoes.

She had a great time.  I stood there watching her, amazed at how much she has grown and developed in the first 12 weeks of school.

Here is a photo of Amelia and her teacher.  She is fantastic and really loves her job and her Preppies.

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments over at SouleMama

*** ** ***

My Creative Space...

I finished the beanie that I was telling you about earlier in the week.

Finished just in time for my cousin.  She starts her Chemo today, the long road and journey to recovery.

For more creative people around the globe - grab yourself a cuppa and a few hours and stop by Kootoyoo.

Thanks for your thoughts the other day - as you can imagine my mind is else where at the moment - but crafting has helped. I would like to knit her a shawl as well.  Sort of like a hug because I live too far away to give her one when she needs it.

Close ups of the head reviel that I should get myself off to have an eyebrow wax, adding it to the 'to do' list

The Crazy Aunt Returns...

Yes, the crazy Aunt stricks again. This time she has been crocheting.

This is going to be in the mail tomorrow - late but better late then never (lucky that the birthday girls mumma knows me well and knows that I would never miss her little girls birthday) 

Baden came to help me during the photo shot.

I love this little blanket, the colours look so good together.

Happy 1st birthday Vivi - Even if Aunty Kylie is 2 months late.

This Week...

Joining in with Vic's not this week meme.

I am thinking that it is time to start some Easter things.  Having Amelia in school has really thrown me this year.  I have popped my name down to go in and help with a few crafts next week.

The first of the chocolate has been consumed in the house.  It must mean that I can have my first Creme Egg.  I was a little disappointed to see them on the counter on New Years Day and made an agreement with myself not to consume any until at least April (and April it is)

I am knitting a beanie and doing way too much thinking. You all know that knitting is not new to me, I can almost do it with my eyes closed while snoring.  But this particular knit is taking me on a journey.
It will be for my cousin.  With every stitch I think of times spent as little girls, of what it would be like if we lived closer to each other and our little ones were able to play around the clothes line with nothing but a tin of pegs.

Another stitch and the thought of what she is about to go through breaks my heart. Cancer; breast cancer; a family member, it is all a little too close to home.  She is being so strong and focused through all of this.  If you are the praying kind, please pray that she kicks cancers butt.  35 is too young. Please Please Please check your breasts ladies - mine have never been felt so much in two weeks in their life.

And I will NEVER make eye contact with a  street proformer again - I think that this story may require a seperate blog post though.

Sit Part 4 ... The Sponsers

I promise that this is the last post.

I thought that I would show you what we came home with from the Saturday SIT Session.  Oh my is all that I can say.

A huge thanks to all of the sponsers - WOW - what a wonderful bounty of things that came home with me.

First up the fabric

* a fat quater from Corrie AKA Retromummy
* two packs of scraps from Hawthorne Threads, two yards in total
* a sample pack of fabric from Saffron Craig

* a covered fabric badge from Jennie AKA Posie
* a key fob kit from Earth Girl Fabrics
* a little boy panel from Jodie of Ric Rac

A pile of patterns.  We all got something a little different, I came away with
* Jayne’s Love quilt pattern from Clare’s Place
* Hello Birdie Pillow pattern from The Red Thread
* Quilt pattern from Chasing Cottons

* Pencil Roll pattern from Pink Chalk Fabrics
* Bunny pattern made especially for SIT from Clare’s Craftroom

All packed into a Corn bag from Innergreen

During the festivities there was also a give away.  I was lucky to be picked out second and managed to score a fantastic dress by Anna of Polly Pratt and a boys pants pattern from Craftymamas

I also took part in the Swap - Organised by Cass.  I will come back and link to who was in my team.

I will leave you with a photo of the dress on.  To say that I love it is an understatement and Tim says that it is elegant, simple and stylish - So it has won his vote too.

 I promise that this is the last of the SIT posts.  Stay tuned for the announcement for next years - rumour has it that it will be in the Nations Capital.  I enjoyed my weekend and would love to one day may it to a retreat.  Maybe I should organise one on the Sunshine Coast before we pack our house into boxes at the end of the year.