Thankful list

* The most awesome holiday

* Friends who accommodated us for a week

* Walking through rain forest trails

*Exploring rock pools on the beach

*Watching the brave attempt scary roller coasters

* Finding the courage to do a small less scary ride

*Great finds of accommodation

* Abundance of delicious foods

* Family who take care of the fort at home

* Market finds

* Dreaming of possibilities

* A husband who is home full time and LOVES to cook

* Supportive network to help make the adjustments needed

* My new short hours that allows me to lunch with my man daily

* The freedom right now to slow down and savour everything

*The space to wait and see what our next part of the journey will be.

#1144 The assurance that it will all be OK 

Glad to be back in this thankful space. Life has been a bit topsy turvy of late and changes in abundance. But I always come back to the place of being thankful. It really does help me keep focus....

and as I heard this week......focus is really the key to freedom.....as long as we focus on the right things.

30/52

Him: Do we really have to go home?

Her: It really has been fun!

29/52

Him:  Our climber that likes to get right to the edge.

Her: Who me??

28/52

Him: Yes I was the mum that let him buy that shirt....

Her: Another request granted......we are on holidays after all. 

27/52

Him: Chocolate covered sweetness...all he could wish for.

Her: Lovely punnet of strawberries and sitting pretty in the patch.

26/52

Him: "Can I go again...I really did have fun!"

Her: She found her little piece of paradise....wishing it was summer and she could swim in it.

The Best Ever Banana Cake

Gotta love returning from holidays and finding something well past it's date still sitting in the fruit bowl!!!

 

Never fear the optimism of being on holidays can save the day.....

that and the recipe shared by a fellow blogger Julie...

The Best Ever Banana Cake 

I often make the a banana bread but for a change this cake is divine.....and a huge hit with the family.

Thriving in the cold

 We have been home two days....
We have a new normal....
It is cold and I am not sure I like it.....
It is definitely boots, scarves and warm jumper weather.....
The sun is out but it is deceiving us...

But wandering around the garden...

...it appears that not everything is disliking the winter chill.

Last day

We are home now....flew in late last night early this morning.....so yesterday...

What better way to begin the day.....

 

  

Some last minute landmark pics.......

A novelty to stand in two states at once.....

we cruised the coast for the last time...wandering and meandering along the coast line....taking advantage of lookouts..

and then we watched the sun set on our holiday....

a perfect way to end a most fantastic and relaxing holiday......
 

Thanks for traveling along with us.....

The Most East

We travelled across the border today and out of the state....we discovered beautiful rugged coastlines.

If we were a few years younger one of us would have jumped in with a board for a surf!

 

{Cabarita headland}

From up here we were hoping to catch sight of a migrating humpback whale...

But not today.....

So onwards further down the coast...

{Byron Bay Lighthouse}

To the eastern most point on our Australian coast line..

 

and guess what????...from here in the very far distance we spotted a whale....not a clear shot but none the less exciting....

 

Days like this I wish I was wearing a pedometer......
Unlike my son I didn't scoot back up the walk way.....

We will all sleep well again tonight.

Top picks

We headed back south today....left our fantastic friends and their home .

So we churched then lunched and hit the road...so no camera shots today.

 

I asked my crew for their highlights and they gave me so much that I figure the whole trip has been a highlight.....so

 

 

Hanging with these guys has been fun....

 

We have seen water, mountains, beaches, rock pools and everything in between...

 We have taken time to smell the flowers

This guy has been awesome at driving us many kilometres to explore each day...

Staying with friends for part of the time has been a blast....way too much food eaten

Stories and jokes shared, tales of past days relived and future plans chewed over....

Some time on the tourist trail and some time off it.....

Each of us have different highlights and things we will remember......these are the days that we will remember and smile as the memories are recalled...

We still have a couple of days to go and some new territory to explore before we resume a new look living back at home.....
Thanks for checking in....I will drop you all a line when I have more reliable internet at home.

Squeaky Sand and Rock Pools

There is always things to discover ...today was...

 

Squeaky sand and rock pools

 

and the weather was just perfect for discovering both.