Me

ME - Photo a Day

Wow that was fun ...A Photo  a Day

That is January done already......now onto February

you can join the next challenge here

1st Day of School tomorrow....

A Little less of this........ 

We sure will miss these school holidays once they have gone!

27/366
The Good Thing: One last day to hang with the cousins and find fun ways to cool off.
The Good Thing For: The kids.

Nature

Nature - Photo a Day

Just a snapshot of our garden......

I'll tell you the story of our "Fairy Garden" one day..... 

25/366

The Good thing:Making the most of this sunshine we've had and combining it with the little "super ingredient"..that is Bicarb Soda and giving my shower curtain a much needed clean.....

The Good Thing for: Our Bathroom and  my domestic goddess status.!!!  

26/366

The Good Thing: Today was about gathering the school supplies, applying names to every book , pencil and marker ready for school return on Wednesday.

The Good Thing for: My kids

In My Fridge

Inside my fridge  - Photo a Day

Eek what a reminder to get my fridge clean and organised......

Who am I kidding....it will be empty within a few more days!

My growing list of Good Things.....

23/366

The Good Thing:  We resorted to some good old fashioned  some good old fashioned cooling methods yesterday......we made lemonade spiders.....lemonade with a scoop of ice cream...yum

The Good Thing For: My kids and their cousins.

24/366

The Good Thing: We found a babysitter...well grandparents eager to have the kids....and we headed out to the movies with free tickets! afterwards enjoying  fresh made pizza in the cool of the evening.

The Good thing for:  Us !

Light

Light  - Photo a Day

 

The most available form of light available to us right now is the SUN..

Best enjoyed early morning or late, late evening!

(for the record    38 C yesterday, 41.6 C today)

Lunch

Lunch - Photo a Day

I wish I could say we had crab for lunch today......

This was a lunch snack for the little guy and his daddy a few days ago.....

Locally caught and home cooked.... 

 

Sadly my lunch today consisted of something a lot less fresh and so much more processed .

 

Australia Day 2012

Australia Day...Our National day to celebrate our Lucky Country......

It began early for us......4.45 am

Off to "The Australia Day Triathlon"

It was a 6.30 am race start which was welcomimg as we knew we had a hot day coming to us......

It was a beautiful venue on our capitals river banks.....plenty of shade from trees that have been there 100's of years, also a nice coolish breeze off the water.....

We positioned ourselves to maximise the spectator watching and maximise the shade......

and boy were we rewarded well....

1st in his age group......

We had a little treat for the kids planned for the rest of the day...

a city hotel stay for the night ....

That included swimming on the roof top pool in temps of 40 c....

Wondering whether we should stay up here to enjoy the evening fireworks show....

We did retreat to the room to wait out the blazing heat.... a game,some reading,TV watching and lazing around....

As the sun went down, the clouds came out and  a thunderstorm was brewing....

But we headed the 200 mtrs to the rivers edge and joined many others to stand in some refreshing rain and marvel at the fireworks display....

What a strange day of weather we "enjoyed" today.......

We had a fun day together......and making another memory to tuck away in the family album that one day will be remembered for the weather and .....

celebrating the victories of the man of the house.....

Happy Australia Day!!

(Just for the record the temp reached 41.6 C)

Joining in with "Things I am loving" here.

and 

adding to my Do-Gooder list.....

22/366

The Good Thing: A night in the city  to see the sights and celebrations of Australia Day.Swimming and hanging out.

The Good thing for: Us...the family. 

Colour

Colour  - Photo a Day

 

Lucky these colourful guys are thriving under the heat of the sun.......

 

 

........cause we sure aren't!!!!

 

Happy Australia Day all you Aussies! 

Something I have made

Something I have made  - Photo a Day

I haven't made this today  but was looking at it sitting in my sewing room....

This was my very first quilt with real patchwork that I made before I even had children.

There was an older lady in my church at the time that over a number of weeks talked me through to the finish.

I then was into cross stitch big time and so made a matching wall hanging .

It became Taylor's cot set and then Meg used it.....

I am hoping one day they will belong to my Grand daughter.....hmm long way of for that I hope.

21/366
The Good Thing: Today I headed off to work and the kids went to my dad and step mum's place.Usually I like to send them with something to share for morning tea or lunch.  I failed today the cupboards were fairly bare and the heat is no incentive to bake.....so I gathered the ingredients and the recipe for 
White Rocky Road and sent it with them to make while there.....cheeky ? maybe!

The Good thing for: My kids and my DAD!

*******Just a little note for us to remember how hot ,hot really was. Today was 41.6 C

Guilty Pleasure

Guilty Pleasure - Photo a Day

My first thought was the chocolate biscuits in the cupboard.....too obvious......

So the next biggest guilty pleasure is having our Air Conditioner going flat out....

We are at the beginning of a heat wave.....

(A heat wave is a prolonged period of excessively hot weather, which may be accompanied by high humidity. )

Here is WA I think the definition is three days above 36 C  ...we are headed for 5 days, at least above 40C

So considering some of my nearest and dearest don't have the Air con I feel like we are using more than our fair share of energy and resources.  

Something old and doing good

Something Old - Photo a Day

I have this shirt that was handmade by my mum in her late teens I am guessing.....

My mum went to school in a country town that had a large agricultural school being a farming area.

This shirt makes me smile having only rediscovered it recently....

It is hand embroidered with  a lot of boys names!!!
Hugh
Clarence
Syd
Terry
Brian
Les
Andrew
Wonder where all those boys are now?

Her stitching is immaculate and done as if hand written with ink....

What fascinates me so much more is that I have only just realised since unearthing it recently that they all appear to be Christian names apart from one

Basset   !!!! 

Bassett is the family I married into nearly fifty years later.....

Oh I wish she was around to ask her the tale of this shirt.

(It is currently soaking to hopefully remove the age spots it has acquired.)

and my good things for the day........

19/366

The Good Thing: I headed back to the gym this morning after feeling like my back  had recovered...and my 100 workout shirt was waiting for me !

The Good Thing For: Me and my body heading back to the gym.

20/366
The Good Thing:  I returned our sleepover pal this afternoon and agreed to stay for a cuppa so the kids could grab a quick swim.....it is soooooo hot here!
The Good Thing For: My kids being able to cool off....and me having a cuppa with a friend. 

Sleep overs

Do you do sleep overs in your house?

 

We don't do them very often here.....

Friends over to hang out but not many sleep overs......

 

Tonight though a sleep over is in progress.......

I am thinking this is a good thing for the girl....hopefully I will think so in the morning.

18/366

The Good Thing:  The occasion of a sleep over.

The Good thing for: The nearly teenager in the house.

My Shoes

My shoes - Photo a Day

 

 Nothing glamorous....

I am not a "heel girl" and totally flat just is a killer on the feet.

It's summer here and cool and comfortable is the go for most of the time.

Reflection

Reflection - Photo a Day

 

{I can't believe I am showing this to you}

 

This is my Year 7 school photograph....

 

the same age that my daughter is now......  

 

 

I was just finishing year 7 and anticipating what high school was going to be like....

 

If I could give my 12 year old self some tips what would they be.....hmmmm

 

• Choose friends wisely
• work hard
• take every opportunity to get involved as possible
•  don't stress about the "school fashion"
• be true to who you are 
• be a leader not a follower

• listen to mum and dad they really do know what they are talking about!

 

It seems like it was so much different back in 1979...maybe not...

hopefully it will all help me to guide my own 12 year old through the next stage of her life. 

 

{still can't believe I showed you that photo!} 

Someone I Love

Someone I love - Photo a Day

and

Things I am loving...

This guy of course....

He is so great in the kitchen which I have been totally loving.

This girl....

I am loving that she is not doing too bad at learning to be a teenager.

This Little guy......

I am loving his creative thinking and the lovely hugs he gives throughout the day.

Joining in with lots of other lovely people over at PaisleyJade's 

Sweet

Sweet - Photo a Day

 

After the man of our house headed back to work on Monday after three weeks ...it was my turn on Tuesday...

 

three weeks "staycation" was divine....

 

On the return to my office I was pleasantly surprised to see this sweet treat still on my desk .

 

It was a pressie to share between myself and a colleague.

So this week as she is on holidays I have been eating my way through what remains!

17/366

The Good Thing: We organised a dinner at the beachside with friends who we see once a year....the weather was perfectly balmy and warm and the kids played for hours.

The Good Thing For: Me....catching up with a special friend and her lovely family hanging out with mine for a short while. 

Something I Bought

Something I bought  - Photo a Day

While out and about last week I managed to sneak into a Salvos store while the hubbie was in another shop....

What I bought was 5 large Vintage Fabric and lace Napkins.....

I have since had a play around with one and created this purse/pouch.

I  so enjoyed the process....this is my kind of sewing...slow ,individual and bringing something into a new life.......not much of a mass production girl or very fast and economical with my time but it does give me pleasure to do it my way.

never going to make my millions but if you are interested I have finally updated my little shop space.....

not a lot there,but just a place to put the few things I love to create.....

Sorry for the advert :-)

Water

Water - Photo a Day

Despite lessons being at 8am in the morning.....they are having a great time

7 lessons done....3 to go! 

Morning

Morning - Photo a Day

My morning started early today....

This was the time I was awake enough to snap the picture.....so earlier than this.....

The occasion?

Well the hubbie returned to work after three weeks holidays and I ran him into work.......

so sad for us all...we have had a fantastic "staycation" and now it is over....

I return to work tomorrow.....    sigh..... 

16/366

The Good Thing: Running the hubbie into work this morning after three weeks holidays....being a one car family ......it was going to be a struggle for him to cycle with all his neatly washed and ironed work clothes that he keeps at work...

The Good Thing for: The hubbie not having to cycle on his first day back at work ..with all his fresh laundry.

Happiness

Happiness - Photo a Day

 

 

Happiness is finding yourself standing with the hubbie after church and realising that both kids have gone home with friends......

then remembering we have a voucher for the Indian restaurant....

 

going to that restaurant for a lunch for two....

and the food being delicious ......

 

 and then finding the bill came to $1 less the gift certificate value......

 

Today was a happy day.

(note: I love my kids but I will take an unexpected lunch date with my man in an instant!)

Something I'm Reading

Something I'm Reading -  Photo a Day

I am loving my awesome Kindle ,I received for Christmas 

{currently loaded with  Courageous}

and the other awesome read

One Thousand gifts.

I have decided to keep track of my reading for 2012 with a list down the side.....

count so far, these two are books No. 5&6.

Choc Chip Banana Loaf- A good thing!

It wasn't  that long ago that Bananas were a rarity in this home.....

now we have bananas going soft...

Great for 

Choc Chip Banana Loaf

2 Cups  self raising flour

1 teaspoon bicarb soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2/3 cup caster sugar

1 cup choc bits

1 cup buttermilk

2 eggs, at room temperature

 1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup mashed banana

pure icing sugar to serve

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grease base and sides of a loaf pan. Line with baking paper.

2. Sift flour, bicarb soda and cinnamon into a bowl. Stir in the sugar and choc bits. Mix well. Whisk in the buttermilk, eggs,oil and banana in a jug. Stir into the flour mixture. Spoon into the loaf pan. Bake for 45 mins or until skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

3. Stand loaf in pan for 10 mins. Lift onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Dust with icing sugar and serve.

 (I made buttermilk by using 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and topping it up with milk to measure the one cup)

I also split mine between two pans and had enough for afternoon tea as well!!

15/366

The good thing : Making banana loaf the night before to be devoured by the smalls early the next morning .

The Good Thing For:  The smalls who were starving hungry for lunch at only 9.30 am . 

Hot Racing

The day began early....earlier than most of us were really wanting for our only sleep in for two weeks.......

But the cause was a good one and the beauty of the morning that early didn't let us down......

Supporting our man of the house was the driver for our early up and out of the house...

triathlon season is here again.... 

The event is always made brighter when joined by family cheering on their man of the house too.....

At least as the sun came out and it became hotter by the minute we could shade under the cool of some nice big trees....

or use the race lake to cool off by.....

Unlike those out on the course, pounding the beat........

It is always great to be there at the end to celebrate the victories....

and be so glad that I don't have the "crazy gene" that requires me to punish my self that way!

So I think this day calls for another count on the "Be a Do-Gooder for a year" challenge

14/366

The Good Thing: Up early to stand ,cheer,photograph and congratulate the man of the house on his achievements.

The Good Thing For:  The man of the house and the benefits we all got for being up so early to enjoy the morning.