Project 52, Week 32

The grey grey days of winter! I think I need some light therapy!! At least some projects are getting done. I sanded back that table in the top left picture over two years ago in preparation for painting with chalkboard paint.... then I got the first coat on months ago.... finally it is ready for use before my children are too old to use it. And a special hand quilted baby quilt is trimmed with the binding machined on just waiting for the hand finishing.

We ended the week with a fun trip to Perth for Charlie to play in a half time game at the Dockers vs Adelaide game on Sunday. He enjoyed his boy-time with Dad, and I think he enjoyed the football but I wouldn't really know because I took the opportunity to go on a photowalk in Fremantle :)

Much love
Mx

Project 52, Week 31

A week at home without anything on. Lovely. Except I suppose that I have been feeling off. Not sick, but probably fighting something. I'm proud of myself for coming home from school drop off and taking myself off to bed on Wednesday when I just felt tired and sad. I think that is one of my signs that I'm not quiet well, even if I don't have any other symptoms. I slept all day until school pick up time (I think I got up once for Mia, and we had a nice little sleep together too). I'm glad to be feeling myself again, if not still a little tired. It is worrisome to me when I feel sad for reasons I can't fathom. It felt good to take care of myself by allowing myself to go back to bed and not push myself. I did the same on Friday.

Buffy is working out so well. Mia has stopped calling out a hundred times after she is put to bed now that Buffy sleeps in with her. And she has not cried for me to come in to her in the middle of the night since we've had her either. Winning! We don't have a mobile dog wash out here so looks like I'll be buying dog shampoo and washing her myself in the kids bath. I think she smells fine, but hubby says otherwise, I think it was because she came in wet from the grass. I will get on to it as I don't want to give the "cat man" any demerits against dogs...

I have been doing a lot more vacuuming with all the extra hair and sand. Which is a good thing. I'm searching for the perfect vacuum cleaner now. I want bagless (or reusable bags) and cordless (or a backpack style like the office cleaners wear!). I might end up being one of those people that vacuums every day... no, probably not... but maybe, with the right vacuum cleaner... that is awesome and convenient... Any suggestions? Do you love your vacuum cleaner??

Mx

Project 52, Week 30

We got a dog! A large dog!! We weren't planning on getting a dog but my Aunt wanted to rehome her beautiful Buffy so she could live with a family and have kids to play with. It is all going well, even my husband who is a self confessed cat guy loves her. I love that she is a settled older dog and doesn't require any training.

Mia and I started the week off in Perth so the boys were at home bach-ing it for the first time. I know there were consecutive nights of scrambled eggs for dinner.

We had a lovely visit from Pa and we enjoyed Charlie's first Auskick game in preparation for playing in one of the little half-time games at the AFL next weekend. It was so fun watching him I was shocked at how much I enjoyed it. Mostly because I was laughing at the chaos and mayhem, it was funny. I didn't anticipate getting in to sports photography but an interest has been lit now!

And I got spoiled with an early birthday present. A new lens! I'm very happy with the Sigma 35mm 1.4 Art Series lens that arrived on my doorstep on Thursday last. Squee!!! It is doing wonders for tracking down that missing photo mojo :) Thanks Mum xx

Mx

Project 52, Week 29

Back to school, back to the regular schedule. And it seems the end of my New Year's Resolution of more weekends at home. We did pretty well for the first half of the year and now the calendar has a too much orange highlighter on it. All stuff we can't and don't want to say no too of course. I'm especially looking forward to three nights away in Bali next month with three girlfriends from high school. We are all turning 40 before the end of the year and all of our babies are old enough now to be left for a couple of nights. I wouldn't want to miss that for an extra weekend at home.

My broccoli is heading. It's my first time growing it so hopefully it will succeed. We had a full moon, which reminds me, I haven't fasted for a month or two. I need to mark the calendar or it doesn't happen. We had our bookclub catch up for Ready Player One. I enjoyed that selection, if you lived through the 80's I think you would too. And final photo was a breakfast date with our friend Ravi before we headed off to see Mister Maker live on stage.

Much love
Margret x

Project 52, Week 28

The second week of the school holidays blew by in a flash. Ian and I enjoyed our last day before we got the wee ones back from Grandma, though I was unusually anxious about getting them back. I'm not sure if it was because I "left" them this time instead of Grandma taking them away like last time (the first time!). Then five minutes after they got home the fighting and carry-on started and I took my rose coloured glasses off and I cursed all the time wasted on worry when I could have been luxuriating in the peace and quiet! 

I need some help for my mother heart, how do you keep the worry to a helpful level? I was booked in to get some professional help around this issue while we were in the city but unfortunately the therapist was unable to make the appointment. I guess all mothers have a deep rooted fear of losing their children. Part of that fear is that I just don't know who I would be without them anymore. Gosh, getting deep. Therapy! I'll let you know how I go.

We checked in on the tadpoles that we had found a few weeks before at a local rock to check on progress (still no legs).  We caught up with friends in town. We caught up on some couch time and Wii playing. We enjoyed being together.

I know we still have many cold days ahead of us but I feel like we've turned that corner out of deep winter. But maybe that is just a couple of not freezing days talking!

Much love

Margret

Project 52, Weeks 25-27

We've been busy with the end of term, and this last week, school holidays. Right now the kids are staying a couple of nights at Grandma's and have spent the last two nights at my Sister's. I caught the train home from the city and have spent the last two solid days working on our family photobook.  Seriously, how can selecting and arranging one years worth of photos take so long?! Next year will be different! I have a feeling I said that last year :/

Mx

Project 52, Week 24

I've got until tonight until the week 25 is over, so I'm counting this as not late!! haha. A good week it was with Pirate Day at school, a double rainbow and a luncheon with the CWA ladies.

Much love

Mx

Project 52, Week 23

Week 23 contains two weekends as it's the change-over week to my new Monday to Sunday week numbering system. One weekend we had friends visiting over the Western Australia Day long weekend and the other we had nothing on and so got to painting the last side of the house! Finally!! Charlie had his first school social at the local hall and I'm cross that one of the older kids said over the PA during musical bobs that jumping is not dancing :( ..... 5 year olds do not need rules about dancing!!

We also had the pest guy come and treat the house for the white ants we found weeks ago and Charlie had a hearing test that showed he has hearing loss from fluid buildup behind his eardrums. We're hoping that once the fluid is gone his hearing is restored. Passport photos were taken against the wall in the dining area, so hard to take a nice picture when you aren't allowed to smile :/ I'm wondering if my application will be rejected on the grounds that I had my head tilted to side, because my eyes are at totally different heights on my face! If facial symmetry is supposed to equal beauty there went my modelling career haha.

And that is me caught up until Monday :)

Mx

Project 52 Catch Up, Weeks 20-22.

hmm.... this isn't even a total catch up as we are already in week 24! I'm going to change my week numbering system I think so it starts at the beginning of the week on Mondays and brings me in to line with the way the week of the year calendars calculate what week we're in and see if that helps me get back in to the swing of posting

Well, we are well and truly in to winter now and the wind this week has been bitterly cold. There is exciting developmental milestones being hit by both the wee ones. Mia is drawing people with heads and Charlie has just started reading at Pre Primary. Charlie also had his first school social tonight.

Ian and I have been watching the 30 Days of Genius series on CreativeLive and have been inspired to start having cold showers! One of the interviewees talked about the benefits of ice baths and I quite like my minute and half blast of freezing cold water at the end of my shower. I love CreativeLive and have bought quite a few of their photography classes but they have all sorts of courses on different subjects and the best part is you can watch for free while they do the initial broadcast, it's awesome.

I hope you're enjoying your month and keeping all your balls in the air unlike myself!

Mx

Project 52, Week 19

Must not have been a big week last week...i've gone back and checked the calendar and nothing... We had a delicious Mexican night on the Friday and then Mother's Day on Sunday, and that's as much as I've got to report this week. Unless I want to resort to talking about the weather, which has warmed up and is just lovely, no fire necessary!

Mx

Project 52, Week 18

I am getting this post done tonight as a Mother's Day gift to my Mum.

My best friend and her partner came for an overnight visit with their little guy, highlight of the week. Lowlight was finding white ants in the front door sill. I hope they haven't gotten too far, we need to cut inspection holes in the floor before we can find out :( and then of course there are the toxic chemicals to follow :(:(

It has gotten cold enough here for the fire now and it is keeping us toasty warm in the house. I so appreciate living in a house where I can be comfortable after living in an old and cold one for three years while our babies were small.

That rose up there is the first off my Mother's Love rosebush, my Mother's Day present to myself that I bought early.

I hope you all have a wonderful Mother's Day xx
Mx

Project 52, Week 17

This is why I shouldn't fall behind... I can't even remember what happened two weeks ago! Err... On my last day sans kids I really  hit my stride, woke up at 8, massage at 9, fasted, so didn't have to worry about food, and spent the afternoon weeding and planting veggies... pretty much an ace day. Then it was only one sleep till seeing my babies and having my brows done finally. Also an ace day. Then home again for the start of term two, and late in the week we had two seperate lots of surprise overnight guests on the same night. Wonderful! Luckily I had chicken in the fridge and tried this new recipe, it was delicious (and I'm not usually a big fan of chicken). Hubby wants Chicken Breasts with Mushroom and Onion Dijon Sauce on high rotation now.

Photo mojo still nowhere to be found... have started fasting and love it, for now doing the full moon and the new moon, but thinking about picking two days a week as well. I think it's called the five and two... anyway, not having to think about food is just awesome (who would have thought fasting would be so fun?!) and another bonus is I'm much more conscious of drinking water on those days. I think a lot of the times I eat I'm actually thirsty not hungry.

Have you tried fasting? Did you love it or find it hard? Are you planting veggies? Are you in possession of your mojo or is it on holidays like mine?!

Much love
Mx

Project 52, Week 16

We had our last days in Albany, and Ian and I started watching an extremely interesting docu-series on Youtube called The Truth About Cancer. After watching The Gerson Miracle and Dying To Have Known I've said if anyone in my family was diagnosed with Cancer I would be shipping them off to the Gerson Clinic in Mexico. After watching this new series I'm amazed at how many natural treatments there are! That work!!  I've gone ahead and ordered Essiac Tea, and Frankincense and Myrrh essential oils. Just as preventatives. My Mum and her Mum both have had breast cancer and now my husband can stop worrying that I will get it. I am so grateful that my Mum declined the chemo and radiation therapies after her lumpectomy.

A memorable week this one as it also held the first time that I had a multiple night break from my babies. The two of them returned to Perth with Grandma for a three night stay without me! We can do these sorts of things now that I'm not breast feeding!! It was a restorative break and I caught up on some sleep and organising. Very satisfying. Also quiet and strange.

I've lost my photo mojo and need to force myself to keep taking photos till it returns. Only photos on three days this week and possibly the next. But I will triumph! I think of Meg Ryan in a phone box in Paris whenever I say that courtesy of the film French Kiss.

Much love
Mx

Project 52, Week 15

So I'm behind again, but I shan't combine weeks as this is considered "cheating" by my Mother! It has been school holidays for the last two weeks, and we took the camper trailer to Albany for a wet week of relaxing. The sun did show itself though and we certainly enjoyed ourselves and the time spent together. I will post my catch up week soon! Week two of the school holidays has been wonderful too :)

Much love
Mx

Project 52, Week 14

The worst thing that happened to me this week is I got a tear in my well worn and well loved favourite jeans, sob. As devastating as that is if that is really the worst thing then I have a lot to be grateful for! First world problems. Ian did not have one day off. I had another go at getting up with Ian at 5am, I did much better this time around and enjoyed having the time to do some yoga practice before the kids woke up. It's hard going to bed earlier though when your book club book starts picking up speed.  I've also enjoyed typing out a bunch of affirmations I've had written out for years and laminating them (laminating is so much fun in and of itself!) and sticking them to the wall opposite the toilet. I am relaxed and centered. I have plenty of time for everything!

I hope you had a wonderful week, we are certainly looking forward to spending some time together as  a family over the school holidays.

Mx

Project 52, Week 13

Nanny Ann and I played with our cameras, I got to test out a couple of lenses that I'm considering for my birthday. And of course there was Easter. Too wet for an egg hunt, I think it the most it has ever rained in the five years we have been here. There was still too much chocolate and the associated tears...

Lowlight, I dropped my phone in the toilet, which one of the kids had left wee in! I snatched it out as fast as I could after a nano second of contemplating the wee. Seems to be working fine after leaving it in rice overnight. And highlight of the week, I got my floors clean!! Well having Nanny Ann here was really the highlight but getting my floors clean just makes me ridiculously happy, I just wish they would stay that way!

Hope you're having a wonderful week! I'm feeling a wee bit organised!!
Mx

Project 52, Week 12

The kids have been pretty well spoilt with visits from both Nanna and Nanny Ann this week and the local show at the larger town next to us. Mia and I went to CWA and then our favourite day of the month, Craft (where I am slowly but surely hand quilting a baby quilt for a friend). There was also the swim club windup and tennis closing day. Ian and I even went out without the kids to a quiz night since Nanna was available to babysit.

The weather has finally turned too. 

Happy Easter xx

Project 52, Week 11

Slack on the photo taking this week, only 3 days!

Had my first weekend to Perth for the year. So proud of myself for sticking to my resolution of not making so many trips this year. We went for a family reunion and my Dad's birthday. We also met friends for a picnic breakfast at the beach who also happened to have their birthday on Saturday. I have wanted to make it to the Sculptures by the Beach at Cottesloe for a few years and I finally made it, though I don't think any of my pictures do it justice. Next time I will have to be more dedicated and be there for sunrise and the pretty light.

It was off to Beverley during the week for Great Grand Poppa Will's funeral. A beautiful goodbye.

I hope you had good week!

Mx

Project 52, Week 10

Another weekend full of cousins and Grandma which is always a delight, with sparkler fun if they're lucky. Unfortunately we got the phone call on Sunday morning that sadly but expectedly Ian's Grandfather passed away. Then it was a short week for school with the labour day long weekend and a staff development day.

I actually enjoyed Charlie's electronics ban and not having the idiot box on all the time. Ah the serenity! The little man has taken his ban very well and I'm happy to see he does still know how to play without a screen. We will be starting back with the iPad with some new rules and limitations, but I would just love to continue with a blanket ban. I don't think he'd take that quite so well however.

And I've been a little sad, I think I've worked out part of the reason. I'm turning 40 this year which I'm not thrilled about, though I'm happy to have another birthday as the alternative is not life. Anyway, in an effort to save money I have stopped a couple of beauty treatments/maintenance and I think unfortunately it has been false economy in a way, because as much I believe beauty is only skin deep and not who I really am etc. etc. it makes me a little sad when I look in the mirror and don't like what I see.  Now if only I could be bothered to put makeup on maybe it would be ok, but that means being organised and washing it off at night! I have made contact with a BAI brow artist and just taking that first step has made me happy.

I hope you enjoyed last weekends extra day!

Mx

Project 52, Week 9

Ian was away for a night doing a mercy dash to the chiropractor for his back, and then worked the weekend to make up for it. We had another Saturday night without power from a thunderstorm. I am pleased with myself for not doing what I did last time that exact thing happened. I still have not had an alcoholic beverage since that incident. Pain is a powerful motivator!

I'm worried about wasting time getting sidetracked by a FarmVille/Nemo's Reef game on the iPad, this one Charlie wanted, it is all about dragons..... thankfully we deleted that game and I don't have to use any self restraint in keeping myself away from it. It's the only way it works for me.
Ian was away again for meetings in Perth and a review of his sleep apnea at the Sleep Centre. Yep, he still needs it. We were hoping his weight loss would have improved things. It has helped with the frequency and ferocity of his snoring though but he doesn't snore using the CPAP.

But the major event for me this week was having to decide how to handle our five year old punching me. We try and stay away from punishments and rewards but I was so upset by the event. Not just the fact that my boy hit me but then all the worries and fears that I'm doing a terrible parenting job and raising an arsehole. So upsetting I made myself sick. Anyway, we are on a total electronics ban for a week.

I think I need to reread some of my parenting books.

Mx