FOUR Part 1

I don't think I ever came close to imagining how much life would change 

when my beautiful girl arrived four years ago. 

I also didn't realise that HER birthday would become my favourite day of the year. 

With the lead up to her birthday being full of drama, I was intent on making her day even more special.

Here's part 1 of our 4 day 4th birthday celebrations 

DAY 1- BIRTHDAY DAY

 

Our favourite breakfast spot, daddy having the day off, some city shopping, a couple of new additions, 

LOTS of presents and a puppy cake that surprisingly pretty good.

DAY 2 -KINDER

All the kinder kids singing happy birthday with the wooden cake, but 

quite possibly the best treat of all was being picked up from kinder by Daddy.

Gratitude

Last week the little lady and her dad were in a little backyard accident where the quad 

bike they were riding together

 was brought to a halt by a brick wall.

This could easily have been a long whining post about how after spending over 4 hours in hospital, 

Sadie was sent home after being told she had a few bruises that would heal and her dad with 2 broken bones 

and a plaster job that Sadie could have done.

This could also be an angry post about how three days later that hospital called and told us after review 

the senior radiologist discovered that Sadie in fact had a fractured wrist and needed to be in plaster.

I could also go on about how we waited over 5 hours at a hospital closer to home to find that the original hospital 

hadn't forwarded her file or x-rays so she had to be x-rayed again.

Instead this is a post about how much I admire that little pocket rocket I gave birth to.

Not once at either dragged out hospital wait did she complain. 

Oblivious to arrogant people demanding to see Dr's for a scratch and 

whiny toy snatching kids she happily watched movies until the 

ipad battery ran out, 

munching on a bag of Twisties and being pretty proud that she managed to score herself a new My Little Pony.

The sling didn't even last a day as it was too restricting

 

The kinder teachers were kept on their toes, because apparently 

"she can still fly!!"

And while I felt like I'd hardly slept a wink for the whole week and her Dad 

spent most of his time moaning and groaning, 

there was no interruption to this little ladies routine

I am grateful that she only has a minor injury that will heal quickly.

I am grateful for her calm and caring nature.

And I am grateful for her inspiring ability to just get on with it.

Oh I love her so my heart could burst.

party planning

When we were in Europe last year I stumbled across some Hello Kitty party 

decorations at the local supermarket.

I was so excited and grabbed what I could find, adding more when we arrived 

in London which just added to our my RIDICULOUS excess baggage charges.

Nevertheless I knew the party would be super kawaii and continued to plan 

a Hello Kitty party for my soon to be 3 year old.

Until I was told that she really wanted a pink dinosaur party. My heart sank as I tried,

 in vain, to convince her that we could combine the two and have a Hello Dino 

party, but no luck. 

I had to admit to myself that it was me that wanted a Hello Kitty party and 

after all it wasn't my birthday,

So I hit pinterest and started pinning like a woman possessed. 

The end result was pretty awesome, if i do say so myself!

The dinosaur phase has pretty much run it's course and it's now all about My Little Pony.

The growing number of ponies accompany us most places and the 

Barbie jet is now flown by a Pony. 

So with 2 months to go I got onto etsy and thought I'd get myself organised and order a pony party pack, giving me plenty of time to 
wrap water bottles, plan game prizes and get party bags sorted.

I thought it was going to be a breeze - 

and then last week Little Miss Nearly 4 asked for a giraffe party.................

The shops have got the decorations and wish lists have been started.

It's beginning to look a lot like, um early October!!!!!

Christmas seems to roll around sooner and sooner every year and it won't 

be long until we hear the sounds of carols filling the stores.

Love it or hate it, you just have to grin and bear it.

Merry Christmas by Mariah Carey had held it's top spot on my December 

playlist for a really long time, until last year.

A Very She and Him Christmas took over the top spot and I thought it would be hard to beat.

But hold your tinsel, look what just arrived in my inbox

Holy shizz, Sandy and Danny back together FOR CHRISTMAS.

It's a Christmas miracle.

Wrapping tunes sorted

The Nursery Part 2

Introductions aside, it was time to learn.

And learn we did. 

If you want to get your camera off auto, jump at any chance you get to 

go to  The Nursery when it's around your way.

I can't even think of a word that measure's the knowledge and inspiration I gained, and about more than just photography. 

I feel like I learnt some life lessons that will stick.

Tim said "I believe in love" and it wasn't some cheesy line. 
You can hear it in his voice when he talks about photography, you can feel it in his photos and 
you can see it in his eyes when his wife and son are in the room.

After bestowing his knowledge upon us, we had a scrumptious lunch.

Big thanks to the lovely Kirsty who slaved away in the kitchen and graciously 
opened her home to us.

Then it was action time.

We watched Tim as he did his thing, then it was our turn.
Tim's little sister was a real trouper as we all took turns to take her photo.
Thanks Rachel, you're a legend.

My only regret from the day is that i didn't take enough photos, I was too busy observing.

But I'm going to take the best advice i've heard in a long time - that it takes 1000's of photos over 100's of days. 

Oh if only he could have taught  me the art of patience!!

I'm now plotting my disguise so I can do it all over again

Bye Nan

Dorothy Annie Merle Andrewartha

23rd April 1923 - 13 September 2012

Mum to 8, Grandmother to 21 Great Grandmother to 35 and 
a great, great grandchild on the way

late night crumpets cooked under the grill with REAL butter,

kitchen table craft sessions,

sunday lunches at Mum and Dad's,

being told off for "ruining" my beautiful hair every time I changed it's colour,

Coles cafeteria on Bourke St,
telling stories on the front swing,
potato cakes, Tip Top multi grain bread and empty lolly wrappers in the side of the couch.

1976 - with me                       2008 - with my baby

Thank you for teaching me the importance of being able to laugh at yourself,

Nan, I'll miss you more than words can say.

Give Pa a big kiss for me

xoxo

The Nursery Part 1

Do you ever have those days that you are so inspired you have trouble 

processing a single thought? 

That's me right now, I'm almost so overcome with inspiration I could vomit glitter.

I feel like I could talk about the following event forever and a day, 
so I'm going to split this into  2, even if just to stop me from babbling on.

Some time ago I read this blog post at The Beetle Shack which lead me here .

This was the day I started following TIm Coulson. 

His photos we like nothing I'd ever seen before. 

He took the ordinary and made it beautiful.

He has the ability to capture more than a moment, a feeling and
I felt like I was looking through a window rather than a computer screen when i look at his work.

 I'd be lying if I said I'd never shed a tear as I looked at his wedding section and I remember the water works when 
he shared the birth of his beautiful son Roo earlier this year.
(have your tissues ready - you'll thank me for it).

I have a shoot with TIm high up on my wish list for when we have our new house 

(more of that at a later date - bloody superstitious me!!!).

When I read that he was running workshops  I was beside myself, and was busy plotting a solo weekend 
in Sydney when my inbox lit up with the news that "The Nursery" workshops were coming to Melbourne.

I booked my place and counted down the days.

I had a bit of a rough week and thought I may have had  to reschedule, 

but as they say "life goes on" and I was so looking forward to this

I follow Tim and his GORGEOUS wife Kesh via their blogs and instagram and as I knocked on the front door, 
had to remind myself that I was a total stranger to these guys and to try not to babble on and make an idiot of myself. 
I felt like bit of a stalker.

Within a split second of Tim opening the door, I went from being completely 

star struck to feeling at ease, as Tim welcomed me into his world.

I tried not to babble on, as I tend to do when I'm nervous and surrounded by strangers, during the introductions, I just wanted to absorb.

Kesh actually introduced Tim and even watching these two interact was magical.

There's something special there, these guys are the REAL deal.

Introductions done and we were ready to listen to the master and learn I did.

to be continued........

Random ramblings from inside my head

** CAN NOT WAIT FOR THIS

**I'm going to attempt to not spend the whole month saying "This time last year........", 

as I reminisce about our European vaction. Has it already been a year!!!!!!!

**This picture of Harry Styles carrying baby Lux makes my ovaries ache -

(Even if I may be technically old enough to be his mother!!!!!)

**I'd be lying if I said I'd never had XXX rated dreams starring Ryan Gosling but, 
in saying that I really don't want him to play Christian Grey when the book 
is made into a movie.

and that my friends, is what is whirling through this little head of mine.

Well that's the fun stuff, who wants to hear about bills and boring things!!!!

ME

  

me, me and oh yeah me!!

LISTENING - After the Olympics closing ceremony it's been SPICE GIRLS loud on the stereo, and many a "not impressed" face when I bust out to to Wannabe rap. 

We also have the My Little Pony theme song on high rotation.

EATING sugar free. In a bid to get rid of the sluggish winter blues and try to re-align mind body and soul (and drop a couple of kgs) I've decided to give the Sarah Wilson I Quit Sugar program a go am with the exception of some Adriano Zumbo treats a week ago, I have been sans sugar for three weeks. 

DRINKING water water water

WEARING Hopefully these little babies

Just ordered them in the hope that they don't look hideous on as I'm a little bit in love with them.

FEELING Like I'd rather stay home and get crafty with the kid, or spend the entire day reading the blogs and magazines that I rarely have had time for lately, but there's bills to be paid, so work beckons.........

WEATHER Blah, although the odd couple of hours of sunshine is good for the soul, bring on spring!!!!

WANTING a few extra hours in the day

NEEDING - a holiday. This time last year I was a few weeks away from a European vacation, keep crossing my fingers for a lotto win so we can go again, because S misses the big red buses and I miss, well everything. 

Plans are under way for a possible solo trip to London and Paris next year, if i can get the mother guilt out of the way first.

THINKING - this is a way better way to start blogging again rather than a super boring post about how busy life is BLAH BLAH BLAH

ENJOYING Watching this little being grow into her personality and becoming, well a person

I've written many a post in pen form, filling quiet moments at work, while I wait for 

the kid to finish dancing or swimming lessons, at a red light but then time passes, 

I haven't had time to get paper to screen and the moment no longer feels relevant. 

I even contemplated deleting my blog all together but then I look back on my blog 

and I'm a little sad at all the gaps, so excuse me while I indulge myself with 

random posts as I fill in the gaps and try to remember these past moments.

The last couple of weeks in a (photographic) nutshell.

After  moving, birthdays, parties, working and the normal day to day schedule I'm more than ready to put my feet up and hibernate for winter.

Oh if that was actually an option.

But we have things to do, people to see and places to go!
Oh and boxes to unpack.....

THE GREAT GATSBY

The movie, the styling, the soundtrack - 

CAN'T WAIT

RIP MCA

I woke this morning before the birds, wide awake!

I wondered if I could try to squeeze in at least another hour or two of sleeping 

before having to get up to get ready to go to work. 

After five minutes of trying, I knew it wasn't going to happen so I updated my instagram feed. 

It was then that I learnt that Adam Yauch "MCA" had passed.

I shed a tear as I lay in bed, for a man than I didn't know, for a man that has left me some indelible memories, and for a man who was an artist pioneer and an amazing humanitarian and philanthropist.

I don't think I've made a mix-tape (technically now called an itunes playlist) in the last 

15 years that hasn't included a Beastie Boys song.

I remember the first time I saw Beastie Boys, it was in the round at Wembley Arena in London.  

My landlord was a bit dodgy and insisted on cash payments, so I dodged him for a week so I 

could afford the ticket. It was amazing, the thing I remember the most is that my friend and I 

were totally outnumbered on the floor, surrounded by guys throwing themselves around,

 it wasn't even a mosh pit, because the stage was revolving, it was more like a whirl pool, 

and the couple of guys we were with almost formed a barrier around us and we joked 

that Adrock, Mike D and MCA had looked down on us concerned  for our well being.

The next time I saw them was at the Big Day Out, in I think 2005 and then at their side show at 

Festival Hall a couple of days later. It was my birthday and in usual Melbourne style we had had 

insanely schizophrenic weather and it was pouring outside. By the time I got to 

Festival Hall I was drenched and shivering, but it didn't damped my spirits. I was beside myself 

to see them in a small venue and it blew my mind. 

The last time I saw them was at Good Vibes in 2007 and at the Myer Music Bowl, the sound 

is pretty crap when you're up on the hill but the show was again etched into my memory.

It's selfish to think that I'll never be able to add to those memories, especially when there are family and friends grieving for their loved one, but I can say I am truly honoured that I have these memories.

R.I.P. MCA

(Rapping In Peace)

Thanks for the memories

Well played Chris Martin, well played!

City and Colour

I braved the freezing Melbourne weather last night and headed down to the beautiful Palais Theatre to see City and Colour. Insert a million adjectives here that describe brilliance .

You simply MUST listen to this song. 

There really is some amazing talent in this universe of ours.

My only complaint is that I didn't have a nice glass of red, in front of an open fire, 

while listening to that beautiful, awkward man.

Mother's Day

With only a couple of weeks to go I guess it's about time I updated my wishlist. I started "pinning" like crazy and thought I'd share a few of my favourites here.

I've had my eye on the Clarisonic Mia for a while, have read so many good reviews and my skin could do with a little pep up

Sure this McQueen is a bit pricey, but cashmere is an investment isn't it?

I love Tori Spelling and I love parties so this book was positively made for me

and this would be a fun addition to my wrist party

oh and speaking of additions, Harry could always do with a friend.

Now I just wish my mum would make a wish list to make my life easier,

at least there's bound to be a new Danielle Steel book out........