Smitten...

is how we feel about our new puppy, Pip. Craig and I went to pick Pip up from Strathpine on Friday morning. She didn't take to the 45min car trip too well and vomited all the way home in her crate. On arrival home, she had an explore, feed, play and bath and then passed out on the couch for the afternoon. Nick and Penny ran all of the way home from school and were home in record time. She was a little unsure of them at first as she hasn't been around children but loved playing with them out on the grass in the sunshine. By Saturday afternoon she seemed right at home and happy with her surroundings. She isn't sleeping too well and waking often to make sure were around. This morning she thought 4.30am was a great time to start the day. Bit like having a newborn. Tonight she'll be going down into the laundry in a playpen as I need to sleep before a day of work tomorrow. It will be difficult to leave her tomorrow but the kids are going to have a big play with her and tire her out before we go. She is far from being toilet trained but we'll work on it with frequent trips out to the grass. Unfortunately she is too little to manage the stairs yet so we need to carry her up and down. Thankfully she isn't remotely interested in going up or down the stairs yet. Pip loves stealing my slippers and barking at Nic's cactus pot :) She is such a beautifully natured puppy with a little bit of mischief (like our dear Labrador Zoe).

We'll keep you posted on our puppy adventures.

Have a good week.
Rach xx

Excited!

Well we're all settled into our new home. It's only been 3wks but feels like we've been here forever. All boxes are unpacked and amazingly we didn't need to buy too much storage. I was a bit ruthless with what I put away as some of the gear we haven't seen for 18mths (packed in boxes), so we decided to get rid of it. Our guest room is already getting use with Trudie and Alex (SIL and niece) coming to stay and Craig's cousin and his family staying. Nick is busy scooping out the pool every afternoon. We have bets going to see how long this lasts but are loving that he enjoys doing it. Nick has crystal chandelier lights in his room and Penny has some pretty funky light covers too but they don't want them swapped. The kids are walking all of the way home from school together and enjoying their new found confidence and independence.

We only have 2 more sleeps until Pip, our West Highland Terrier pup comes home. We're all so excited. I spent the weekend puppy proofing the stairs and front and back decks so that she couldn't fall through. The packing boxes have come in very handy and zip ties. Pip is the puppy sniffing Penny's hand above.

This morning, I was walking back after dropping the kids at school early for their tennis and choir lessons when I came across daddy duck, mummy duck and their 7 tiny ducklings waddling up from the tunnel that goes under 4 railway tracks. They were obviously off on an adventure away from the safety of the Sherwood Arboretum. Unfortunately they were heading onto the road so with the help of another lady, we herded them into a small grassed area. I went home and picked up a large box and we proceeded to put the ducklings into a box but of course the parents wouldn't follow. By that time we managed to get in touch with the RSPCA who told us to let them go as it is illegal to move them and they wouldn't come out unless they were obstructing traffic. They were also worried that the parents would lose interest in their babies. We herded them off in a safer direction and hope they found their way home. I plan to visit the Arboretum on the weekend and see if they made it home. They were such pretty wood ducks.

Well, no doubt I'll be back over the weekend with some cute photos although don't hold your breath with my blog effort this year!

Have a good week/end.

Rach xx

Settlement Day

Tomorrow we get the keys to our new house. We are really looking forward to moving. So sick of boxes everywhere and cleaning for open houses at the rental.
We had a lovely time in Fiji. Such a beautiful place and the weather was amazing. The people are welcoming, friendly and so kind. Easily the best family holiday we've been on.
Term 3 is well under way with both children busy with school and extra curricular activities.

Most excitingly we went to adopt our new baby yesterday. Pip is a 5wk old West Highland Terrier and she will be ready to take home in a few weeks. She is from a litter of 6 - 3 females and 3 males. She was the most outgoing of all the girls and the one we all chose.

Well best be off to pack some more boxes.

Have a good week.

Rach xx

Life Is A Changin'

Ooops, long absence again but I have good reason. Most excitingly, we have bought a house and today the SOLD sticker went up. It's a lovely old Queenslander with lots of rooms and most importantly (according to Penny), a pool. It is just up the road from where we live at present so the move in 6wks shouldn't be too painful.

 On ANZAC day, Nick marched in the local march with his Cub Scout group. It was our first community service and was very moving.

 Nick has also celebrated another birthday - 9! He didn't have a proper party but we took him and a couple of his friends to an indoor rock climbing centre and they had fun scaling walls.

 Miss Penny has lost her first tooth - so exciting! She was so funny - "Mummy I have had the best day because I won the 5km race (Charity walk at the uni and she beat Craig, Nick and me), went out for breakfast and I lost my tooth so the tooth fairy will come". Much talk about the tooth fairy ensued, particularly about how slack the tooth fairy has been recently and has forgotten to visit her school friends. Thank goodness there was a gold coin reward by the glass the next morning.

 Penny dressed as a Chinese girl for multicultural day last week, borrowing a Chong san from her Japanese friend, Maya.

Craig completed his ride to Longreach. A great achievement he has no intention of repeating. He ended up with very sore achilles tendons and has done much less intensive riding on his return, partly because he's hardly been home.

Nick had a Cub camp on the weekend at his home den and had a fabulous time. He loves learning such practical skills. Penny and I went to a performance at QPAC called The Flying Orchestra which was part of the Out Of The Box festival. It was a lovely performance with a very poignant message.

Penny had the day off today to attend her ballet and jazz exams which she seems to take to like "a duck to water". We then went out for a girlie lunch.

We've booked a holiday to Fiji for a week in July. I can't wait for some warmth. I've had to organise passports for the kids and myself and I am over filling out forms!

Well, that's about all I can remember for now.

Have a good week.

Rach xx

Bad Blogger

This poor neglected blog. Since I've started working 4 days, life just seems to get in the way. I always think, I'll just wait until I have the photo edited to put with the post and then it never happens.

Here's what we've been up to:

We've been to see Mary Poppins on stage at QPAC (lovely) and How To Train Your Dragon on stage at Brisbane Entertainment Centre (spectacular). I had another birthday, the biggy is getting closer :(

Nick has been invested into cubs (all official now).

Nick also received a ribbon (1st, 3rd,3rd) in every race he swam at his school swimming carnival with little practice and professing he didn't want to swim as he thought he'd come last!

I went to watch Penny at dancing and her tap, jazz and ballet have really progressed although I am not so sure that she is as keen. I have been learning how to make jam for the school fete on 2 x afternoons. Craig and I were taken to see the NRL at Suncorp Stadium which was great - close game between the Broncos and Cowboys. I attended an art and craft show as well as the Matilda markets (gorgeous) with my good friend, Penny. Penny and Nick attended a tennis clinic in the first week of the holidays and I had a week off. They really enjoyed the tennis and Nick came runner up in his group and received a medal. We visited Yamba in northern NSW for Easter and it was beautiful. The weather was great for playing tennis, swimming and playing on the beach (top photo). The waves were spectacular and we saw some great surfers. Nick has started soccer again and they seem to be improving every week.

Craig has been away alot and he is heading off on his big RFDS bike ride to Longreach (over 6 days) in less than 2 weeks. He has been training as much as he can and has lost 16kg although I think he is feeling some trepidation about the 1200km he has to ride. He has just purchased a new bike which should be able to fly him considering how much it cost!

 I haven't been doing much scrapbooking and have been selling off my really old scrapping goods that I will never use, on facebook. I don't plan on giving up scrapping but just need to reduce the size of my stash. I have got rid of quite a bit and have become an expert on the cost of postage!

I will put up some more photos soon. I'll try and be back sooner than 2 mths with more news. Resolutions/goals are taking a huge beating this year, oops.

Have a good week.

Rach xx

I'm Back

I seem to have got lost in the beginning of this term trying to work out our school timetable and working out how to get all of my jobs done with one less free day a week. The kids are busy with school and extra-curricular activities. Nick has joined Scouts and begins soccer practice this week. He is also back at tennis coaching and Cantori (choir). Penny is enjoying dancing, tennis coaching and swimming. Penny is getting more homework than Nick which she is very annoyed about. I'm hoping her opinions of homework become a little more favourable - real soon!!!
Nick and I haven't been very well over the last couple of weekends. I had a virus with high temps and aches the weekend before last and unfortunately Nick had it over the weekend just gone and had a day off school. We're both feeling much better now.

Over the weekend, we took a day trip to Redcliffe which is on the beach. From the photo above you can see where the RED comes from. We went out for lunch at a lovely Italian restaurant and the kids enjoyed a play on the beach and in the playground. Nick was right as long as we kept him dosed up on Nurofen.

I haven't scrapbooked much lately but managed to complete a LO on the weekend. I have had another LO picked up by a magazine for photographing and hopefully inclusion. Here are the last of 2011 LO's.

Sorry, not a very interesting post. Seems very mundane to me but just wanted to keep you all in the loop. Have a happy week.

Rach xx
PS - Here is a photo of Penny's new shoes that she talked Craig into buying for her. Very blingy, don't you think!

Supporting The Arts

The children and I are planning many visits to the theatre this year with many performances in the first half of the year being aimed at children. In the last week of the holidays, Penny and I attended a performance of Cinderella danced by the Ballet Theatre of Queensland. It was beautiful as well as highly entertaining and Penny wanted to stay on for the night time performance. We have tickets booked for Mary Poppins in March which we are very excited about as it is a very popular movie in our house.
Today, Nick and I went to see Hugo at the movies. We both loved it. Nick sat forward in his seat for the majority of the film and was captivated by it. Beautiful scenes of Paris, a lovely story and brilliantly casted and beautiful music. A movie that would appeal to all ages (7-8+) which we can highly recommend. We didn't see it in 3D but I think it would've definitely enhanced our viewing.
Australia Day we ended up at our neighbours over the back fence for a very impromptu BBQ lunch and swim. It was a perfect way to spend a relaxing day.
Over the weekend, we went out for breakfast, signed Nick up for soccer and Nick had a friend to play. Penny had a play date on Friday afternoon. Craig and Penny went shopping whilst we were at the movies and she managed to talk him into buying her a new pair of shoes which she promptly told me "fell off the back of a truck" when I saw them. She is going to rival Imelda Marcos!
Well a post needs a photo so here are a few more LO's from 2011. I am very pleased to have started scrapping a new box of photos over the w/end - new enthusiasm!

Good luck to my niece, Alex and nephew Lachlan who are beginning school in Griffith, NSW tomorrow. I'm sure it'll be the start of a great year.
Have a good week.
Rach xx

It Doesn't Rain, It Pours!

It has been pouring with rain here for 2.5days. Thank goodness we've had a reprieve late this afternoon. Many of those flooded last year must be feeling a touch of deja vu and very anxious. It has been taking me 55mins to get to work which is double the time. No accidents just slow moving traffic in the rain and also return to school traffic.
Nick and Penny are going well at school but glad to have a day off tomorrow. We don't have any Australia Day plans. Just waiting to see what happens with the weather. Craig is flying back from Bundaberg tonight and his plane has been very delayed due to bad weather.

Thought I'd share my latest and greatest. First is my new (and first ever) mixmaster. I love it. I leave it on the bench top so that I use it. I have made cakes, biscuits, pikelets and bread rolls which the kids love. I am yet to make a meringue/pavlova - maybe tomorrow.

Next is my new Oroton handbag. Couldn't walk past such a good sale and with some Christmas money I had received, decided to lash out. I have been looking at these cute bags for a long time and it was just the colour I wanted.

Thought I better get up to date with sharing some more LO's. I managed to complete 68 last year and still have about 10 to share from 2011. I have done 4 LO's this year so far. So here are some Christmas LO's from 2006. 

Have a happy Australia Day tomorrow whatever you decide to do.

Rach xx

School Begins 2012

Nick and Penny headed back to school today. Nick is starting Year 4 and Penny Year 1. They were looking forward to seeing all of their friends again but Nick, not so much the learning and hard work thing. Penny is not too interested in 'serious' homework as it may cut into her afternoon play. All in all they seemed to have a good day, particularly Penny. Nick is not so sure about his teacher but she has big shoes to fill after the wonderful teacher he had last year. Hopefully just first day jitters. Penny was allowed to wear the school dress for the first time today, thanks to a hand-me-down from her cousin Alex. They are not allowed to wear the dress in Prep, so all of the little girls in Year 1 had them on today. Penny also talked me into buying a pair of Mary Jane shoes for her to wear with her dress. The dress is a little big but looks very cute. Nick and Penny certainly have grown in size and appearance from the first day last year (photos here).

We have had good holidays. The children did some fun things at vacation care. They went roller skating which Penny was very nervous about but she apparently did very well and was asking to go back the next day. Nick spent more time on his bottom and came home with many bruises but he only has two speeds - zero and flat out! We visited GOMA with some friends and saw Magic Land and the Spot Room. The children also spent many days at the next door neighbours (over the back fence) playing and swimming in their pool. Rather than having to walk around to each others' front doors, we have swinging fence slats that allow the kids to come and go so that they don't have to walk on the road - perfect arrangement.

In other news I have chosen to take on another day of work - 4 days per week but only school hours (20hrs). We are trialling it to see if I manage and whether there is enough work for me. More excitingly, I had a layout published in Scrapbooking Memories V14No4 which arrived today. It's a LO of baby Penny in the pram (pink with lots of ribbon strips)and is on the 2nd last page of LO's prior to all of the advertising. So if you're passing the newsagent, have a squiz. I have also had another LO accepted for photographing and possible publishing.

Have a good week.
Rach :)

One Little Word ...

Well here it is, my one little word for 2012 is:
                                                

   MOTIVATION

This is almost a polar opposite to 2011 word - RELAX. I don't think that I relaxed so much as fell into a bit of a rut. So onwards and upwards with some motivation to kick start my positive thinking, exercise, eating well and learning to love life again. I think lists are also a good idea for me as I just love crossing things off. Perhaps a little notebook for beside my bed so that I can make a list at night or before I rise in the morning. Nothing like a list of new goals on the left of my blog and a pretty new header that I poached from here to give me some motivation ;)

What is your one little word for 2012?

Rach xx

HAPPY 2012!

We've been away, hence my lack of posts.
In the week prior to Christmas we had Craig's sister, Annette fly in from Cairns to stay for a couple of nights. She looked after the kids whilst I worked which N and P loved. They went to the movies, shopping and ate yummy Cold Rock ice cream - she spoils them. We don't see each other often so it was lovely to spend some quality time together.

We travelled to Bundaberg a couple of days before Christmas to stay with Craig's mum and met up with Annette again.  It was quite cool when we arrived (22 degrees). In fact I can't remember a cooler Christmas in Bundaberg - normally stinking hot over Christmas. We had a great family time together over wine and too much food. Nick and Penny were up at 5am on Christmas morning. They were so happy with their gifts from Santa that I think everyone in the neighbourhood heard their excitement. Nick received the new Wii Skylander portal and game and Penny, the Malibu Barbie house. Christmas day was spent out at Craig's uncle's place which is always very merry and the weather was superb (28degrees)!

On Boxing Day we farewelled Pam and Annette and ventured down to the beach at Bargara. We had a lovely spacious apartment (Platinum Apartments) which was one street back from the beach and one block over from all of the shopping and restaurants. I was very pleasantly surprised by the apartment as it was the only  2+ bedroom accommodation left in Bargara when I booked in October. We enjoyed warmer weather at the beach with surfing on boogie boards, building sandcastles, hand feeding and watching fish and catching up with our Bundaberg friends. Craig was able to get out to sea in our fishing boat and came home with a good catch. I read a book in almost a day. It was a most relaxing holiday.

We arrived home yesterday afternoon and after we unpacked we went to the Clifton's (Nick's school friend) to celebrate NYE. It was a great night full of champers, delicious nibblies and many laughs. I whipped up pancakes topped with creme fraiche,smoked salmon and chives which are rolled and chopped into pin wheels - easy and yummy.We celebrated at Russian time (10pm) as we were feeling a little tired from the long drive home. I didn't get out of bed until 8am this morning which is almost a record since having children and so lovely to feel refreshed and no hangover ;)

Today I am facing a monumental washing and ironing pile but the weather is beautiful and bright so it will be dry in no time.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU. I HOPE 2012 IS A SPECTACULAR YEAR FOR US ALL!

Rach xxx

ps - I'll be back later with my one little word for 2012 (2011's is here)