Eugenie et Luke!!!

What a trip, what a wedding, what a couple.

They're just a little bit too good looking, don't you think?!! 

What a wonderful wedding day, it was a spectacular setting, full of color and fun, all the way from 11am till 5am the next morning! We left at 2am, but most did not! The kids lasted the whole way, except the youngest, who happily fell asleep in the corner...

Congratulations on the best day of your lives!

Sweet flower girls!

Josh must have thought she was pretty cute, 

he brought her flowers!

Cousins looking spiffy

And my boys, though still in shorts, 

are looking clean, and in button up shirts no less!

Hey princess, is that your prince behind you?

A whole lot of family! 

And, you know, getting a photo next to an old castle cause that's what you do.

This was the reception venue!

Pretty awesome really.

First kid birthday of the year

It is so tricky to have one day that you look forward to for SOOO long, and then it's over before you know it. A day just isn't long enough for some things. But I can't quite bring myself to do what a friend of mine does: 'birthday week' for everyone. Sheesh! But Laura did get birthday breakfast, party with friends, a friend over to play afterwards, birthday dinner, and even birthday lunch the next day with Oma and Papa at the Pancake Train! And her pocket money went up this year, so no complaints from her, she went to bed smiling. 

How I love this girl. 

Homemade egg mcmuffins. 

Beats McD hands down!

We did something different this year, and for this I did take a page out of a friend's book: having a book exchange instead of presents. We saw a friend do it, and Laura liked the idea, so everyone brought a book, and went home with a new one!

Choc pudding made by dad for her 'cake' - thumbs up for that!

Only 1 more year till double digits, wow wow...

Life just goes and goes

A cute nephew to hold. 

Kids learn quickly how best to get each parent's attention!

She loves loves loves dressing up!

This is the newest thing, "I wash up?!"

I knew all those cardboardy things I've kept for so long 

would be useful one day - we made a big castle!

This boy got an "Aussie of the Month" award for his initiative at school 

to fundraise for a school in India that he visited. 

Everyone at school supported it so enthusiastically, 

some kids came and gave all the money in their piggybanks!

Compassion is priceless.

Just a normal Saturday afternoon hanging around on the 

velcro wall at the newest local playcentre - too cool!

...too much technology you think?

This book has been a favorite through toilet training.

I can read it with my eyes closed, 

and she can nearly recite the whole thing too...

Monkey faces!

I really love rainbows. Never tire of them, 

especially when we're virtually driving under one!

(Dan took the picture)

Breakfast in bed for the dog?? Sure, why not.

He's decided he's not a morning dog. 

That suits us.

Dogs have favourite soft toys too!

I'm full with living beings to care for constantly.

But I'm also full with gratitude for those beings.

I've been letting the fullness of responsibility outweigh the fullness of gratitude.

Here's to switching that around.

Oh and did I mention I have 2 cute little nephews??

Haircuts and apologies

2 things you gotta do in life: 

1. Have your hair cut

I've cut the kids' hair for ages, often with mixed success. Usually they don't want to go to a professional. Goodness knows why not... Anyway we found ourselves out and about on a rainy day, and Nick needed his hair cut so that his school photos in a few days wouldn't have that your-mum-just-totally-cut-your-hair-last-night-didn't-she look. So although I had my scissors, I was at a loss as to how to do it myself when it was raining. He casually suggested we could go to the hairdresser.

Duh!! Best $20 spent. 

May never cut it myself again! 

Now to get Daniel to the hairdressers.

2. Apologise

Because we mess up. 

And I often take myself and this parenting thing too seriously, 

causing minor (or more) amounts of friction. 

One of the kids was not listening, ignoring what I said to do, 

that totally normal kid thing to do that can bring me to the end 

of whatever rope it is that I think I am holding onto. 

So I lose it: "You may think you don't have to listen 

to what you're being told to do and that you're your own boss, 

but you're not. I'm the mother and I'm the boss."

Yes, those were virtually my exact words. 

I told my child I was the mother. 

Newsflash, I know.

Man it's so good that we can apologise, 

but I hate it when my reckless unnecessary words hurt my kids.

For a variety of obvious reasons, the above photo is not an actual depiction of me.

Just clarifying.

Oldies and Newies

Well in this photo Andrew and I were closer 

to our teenage years than Chris and Erica were. 

But no longer. 

These two munchkins were the first ones to steal my heart 

in the niece and nephew department (of which I now have 9!!, see below). 

It's such a special thing when our siblings have kids. 

How these ones have gotten to be 13 and 14 in such a short time, I have no idea!

In more recent days, specifically 4 days ago, 

Andrew's sister and bro-in-law had their 2nd child, 

a baby boy named Drew Bear. 

He's really quite divine.

I'm with you buddy

I feel like this sometimes too...

:)

Me.

More about that bossy sister post. 

Amazing how my stages of life have shaped my view of myself. It's possible I thought of my older sister as the bossy one, but it's also possible that a few of my friends now think it's obviously me who's the bossy sister. Also possible, in the mix of all the possibilities, is that my younger sister thinks the older 2 of us are equally bossy. So be it. As long as I have friends that are more bossy than me, I'm good!! (one friend said, "i've never thought of any interaction with you as you being bossy"... followed by her looking around at her husband and mine, and saying, "ohhhh, is that because I'm more bossy?!!!"). :) Oh how we judge ourselves compared to others. 

Here's to just trying to be me. 

Bossy or not... depending on who you ask. xx

Love those sisters.

Bossy

The question is, who is it...?

Proud parent moment

Seems to me that 10 is a turning point age. It's not adolescence, nothing specific happens (not with boys anyway)... except the desperate desire to listen and understand EVERYTHING that the adults talk about. Which can be tricky.

But... at the moment, this 10 year old Daniel is in India with Andrew - visiting some non-profit work and experiencing the developing world for the first time.

And this tricky age is turning out to be not so tricky on the trip, because Daniel is thrilled to be with grownups, listening to much of the adult conversation.

I just spoke to Andrew, and Daniel received some really wonderful compliments from some of their hosts about his ability to engage with adults, hang out with other kids playing cricket for hours, and "not be on the iPad all day". Woo hooooo! Now this is the stuff that makes it all worth it. Little things are big things. Great kid. I think he'll come back taller,  his heart increased in compassion, and his bond with his dad stronger. And to think I wasn't sure he was ready.

For this I am thankful

Twas a long week last week. Puppy fell down a couple steps and 

broke his elbow. A 3-month old puppy-turned-5th-child. 

Sheesh. I nearly lost my mind. Which is embarrassing really, 

but it is what it is. I couldn't believe I was sending him off for 

surgery and now I have to take care of an invalid puppy. 

But really, it was small on the scale of tragedy, I know, I just got 

a bit overwhelmed by it all, the kids were so upset 

by it too, and I was short-tempered and snippy. 

Enough said.

And it's Monday now, which means I have to do it all again.

Hopefully with a "much improved" on this week's report card...

So it seemed the right time for a thankfulness post.

If you're really switched on, you'll see it doubles as a catching-up post. ;)

Thankful for my parents having been here for one whole month. 

Wow, what fun we had. It went faster than I wanted it to, 

and we were busier than we had realised we would be, 

but the time was precious and I'm lucky lucky to have had it with them.

This kid...apparently no one told him you're supposed to photobomb from behind.

Thankful for this sweet pretty little girl who loves stuffed animals as if they were real. 

Thanks for doing the pretzel trial with me Mom!

...For every single airport goodbye shot that we get to take, 

because that means we got to be with them.

This gorgeous, feisty, thoughtful 8-year-old-going-on-18. 

She's going to be one fun teenager, I just know it!!!

(caught unaware!)

Every new word out of her mouth is wonderful, 

even if it is usually spoken in all CAPS (I believe you know what that is Jenn!!). 

To see her mind learning and growing is priceless. 

Her latest word is helicopter, which is even better than watching kids learn to say spaghetti!

Who wants a big brother to go down the slip-n-slide when mum doesn't want to!

Warm sunny days, watching little cuddles lying in the grass, 

and thankful for another big brother that feels very deeply for his little sister.

Amazing air shows in the middle of the city during a wooden boat festival. 

Incredible!

This crew that is [only some of] my family.

For every single day I get, I am truly grateful.

Oh, and I am thankful for guitar lessons. For finally deciding I would do it for myself, and feeling like every minute spent learning to play is worth it!!

Here's to living another week, much improved or not, just keeping on trying!