Happy oh so hap hap happy ;-)

It is not my birthday till Saturday and already the presents have arrived and wow have I been spoilt. So in order that I reecieved them which was basically a present degustation here they are from Saturday. I heart them all.



A book which will be oh so handy and a gift from the very gifted RoseRed who taught me how to crochet and her H.



A cute as a button card - made especially by Husby of RoseRed. I had requested that the presence of people was presents enough and all I wanted was a handmade card - so thank you Husby of RoseRed I will treasure it.

Inbetween this gift I received a digital photoframe which is not behaving and won't upload to this post so just invisage a lovely metal frame containing fun family and friends pics. Courtesy of Jax. Great great gift and just what our new kitchen needed!



Some beautiful Woolganic Kniiters Yarn - 100% certified organic wool. Gorgeous truly delicious colours. Thanks again RoseRed and her Husby.



Courtesy of Miss F a beautiful Glass Ginger Jar filled with beautiful memory notes. Little reminders and inspirational notes to make me smile in a nice teary sort of way or make me laugh like a Hyena. Anything is possible with me and my memories. Miss F also organised for my H to write special notes to me...things that make you go awwwwwww.



and then there was the beautiful CLAP hanknitted by RoseRed. I think I have already mentioned that I love it, well I do I really do. Wore it again today so the only day that it has not been shown to the general public was yesterday. I even got it out today when I was home to show it off to one of my friends. Truly snuggly comfortable and again a huge huge Thank you.



The Clapotis was gifted in this beautiful handmade project or I think I will use it entirely to protect this beautiful creation bag.
Another RoseRed original.



Clap on location in Katoomba



Last but not least this bag I purchased in katoomba with some money given to me on Saturday night by my Hs parents they rock. Lovingly looked after the girls while me and H were at Berowra Waters.

Berowra

On Saturday to celebrate my upcoming 40th Birthday. I with some very special friends was lucky enough to spend a sundrenched, fun-filled, fantastic food and friends afternoon of delight. I am excited about turning 40 I have done alot already with my life and there are so many more exciting moments to come. Age an inevitable life experience, nothing you can do about it so live life and celebrate.

This post will be about food, the presents I received need their own lime light an unexpected delight and all reflect the great personalities and thoughtfulness of each friend. I love them.

The food - the restaurant an experience. We arrived at 12noon and left at 5.30pm. The staff were friendly and helpful and unobtrusive. They left our sometimes loud table to be loud without concern! We arrived by ferry, a private ferry just for the restaurant. You can arrive by seaplane and one couple did leave that way while we ate. You could if you like have 4, 5 or 6 courses, with or without matching wines.
The men at our table had 6 courses the women 5 (there were 3 additional hidden courses unbenown to us and not mentioned on the menu but yummy surprise treats). Here is my visual diary.





























Photos courtesy of H, love your work.

Busy funtimes and chaos still reigns!

We celebrated my hs' 40th birthday during the long weekend. A fitting celebration with his family. You maybe confused yes his birthday was in February but his sisters have been travelling so it was the first opportunity we could all get together. Kind of fitting as I turn 40 this month so a passing of the birthday baton!



Poor Opa was as usual in great demand. The kids did really well as we were there for over 3 hours. The food was great and we decided that the chocolate desert could have been had at Tetsuyas it was awesome. The restaurant is a great little local gem to both of our parents. We will be back, the staff all 2 of them (well at lunchtime) were friendly and very accomodating.



The chocolate delight came complete with homemade vanilla ice cream...I think I mentioned it was delicious and best of all it was big, my kinda of desert.



The long weekend continued with a family Yum Cha gathering, 13 unlucky for some but delightful for us. The kids had there own corner and were so excited to be together. Great rainy day stuff. I was kept busy making Basil Brush paper puppets for the young-ins.



On the holiday Monday we had some great friends over for husbands first ever Roast Chicken and desert included Sticky Date pudding. Lovely day with the 3 little ones playing nicely and the adults getting an opportunity to catch up. We look forward to you guys moving closer, more playdates lay ahead. Always relaxing and always fun.



We went from this to this... all in an afternoon



We are still in chaos waiting for the trademan to return to finish the floor... it was mean't to happen on Monday...then Wednesday and maybe today. He won't get my recommendation. He came with a high recommendation from my neighbour I wish I could pass it on. He is a nice guy...but takes on to much!

Anyhow love love and what calms me is the view from our family room... we are lucky the most beautiful canvas you can have that of nature.

We had a lovely weekend last with a surprise trip into town on Friday night to drop my younger sister off and just relax with her at her lovely home. Saturday H had organised unbenown to me that his parents would look after the kids while we went shopping for me...yes all about me at present. More about that later, but H took me to my first ever Sushi Train encounter felt liberated eating without sorting others out at the same time. Spent a lovely night with his folks and then I went shopping again on Sunday. My twinee and I go shopping once a year to buy each others presents. I love what she bought me and it will be displayed in the next week or so.

So for the first time in months I had the equivalent of a day without kids, wasn't sure I was going to know what to do with my arms without kids. I soon found a use, shopping bags the quiet replacement. Love you my girls...and love all that my H did behind the scenes.

Oh tell me what to do what to do what to do I may follow you...

I came across the knitted part of this project abandoned in the local charity shop. To good to pass up and I was in awe. It came complete with 4 skeins of yarn (not sure if that is the correct wording) but I felt a need to rescue and continue its journey to life. I have added the red elements. I had a vision of a poncho for daughter E then to continue its life with daughter R. Confused as husband said to me I thought you were making it into a skirt. What do you think, continue the poncho or skirt or go in a completely different direction?

A time to remember and reflect

It would have been my Grandads' birthday on the 31st May and what a wonderful way to celebrate the day and life by our family outing to Wamberal. My Grandad was an extremely special man to me always available for us, I cannot remember a time when he was not excited or interested in what we were doing. He collected Elephants, china, plastic, wood, bone & stone - big, small (his collection was in excess of 500) I made this book for him for his 82nd birthday in 1989, I thought he might put his Elephant pictures in it. I wrote this comment inside the front cover:

Dear Grandad,
Happy 82nd Birthday. Grandad I hope this book comes to use for something special.
I Love you
with Lots of Love
S.......... xxooxx

It certainly was used for something special my Grandad was the king of sayings. He filled the book and accompanying envelopes with sayings; handwritten and including drawings. He wrote an inscription to me at the end of the book and this is what he wrote:






I love this book and feel so lucky to have such a beautiful treasure.

Thank you Grandad for your love and the gift of time that you not only gave us but put into this book.



The book had pages with contrasting colours and a leather handsewn patchwork style cover, well it was the 80s and leather was very popular.

Warm Wamberal Winter

Friday after Kindy pickup I decided to make some scones to compliment our leftover dinner. We like to have cleansed the fridge by Friday in preparation of new goodies on Saturday. Dinner was composed of Snow pea, cucumber & celery salad, Pumpkin Scones my first ever, Pumpkin and Potato Fritters my first ever, Natural Greek Style Yoghurt. I did add a couple of slices of bacon it was an odd one but yummy just the same. The youngest one hated the scones and when I say hated, if she could have pushed her plate as far away as the backyard she would have!



We wanted to do a day trip somewhere as we actually find it refreshing journeying to new places with the girls. The destinations are not expensive (well petrol-wise they are) but it is the simple things in life that make you feel recharged and ready to face new challenges - like Rs sleeping habits.



R wasn't really beach ready but we did pick our destination last minute. I said to H how about we have fish and chips on the beach up North for lunch. H was hard at work painting the kitchen ceiling. Less then 30 minutes after that we were heading off!





I took one towel and changes of clothes for the girls...just in case sort of stuff. It was needed and my Girl Guide training of always be prepared came in handy as you can see E took a nose dive into the surf when wave jumping.



Public declaration it may have been washed away by the waves by the time we left but isn't it fun to do sand drawings and delight those who add so much warmth to your heart!



Nature and its sparkling natural jewels as I said it is the simple things in life...I am recharged now H and I painted the kitchen walls when we got home, one more coat to go and then the fridge will be back home...H off to work - yes weekend work is again happening... me well my family are coming to dinner to celebrate mums birthday...so sticky date puddings, cheese platter, roast meats etc on the agenda...hopefully yummy photos will follow...must think positively and if I get stressed I will look at these Warm Wamberal photos.

A need to tame a TODDLER so I can dream

I love my daughters but I also love sleep...

This week our youngest daughter has turned the idea of dreaming into an ongoing nightmare. Monday night she was up till 1am constantly getting out of her cot. The problem with her having really long legs she is a born escapee. The getting out of the cot would not have been an issue if she did not hurt her chin on one episode OR if she did not decide to undress and leave only a singlet on, having removed her nappy. What was cute and funny the first time was no longer cute and funny the 28th time. She would come down to H and I with different clothes in her hand ready to start a new day. HELLO the old day has not ended yet.

Sleep count for Monday night 5 hours

Tuesday night I took one side of her cot away and converted it into a little bed - how could things get worse - a repeat of Monday night but only stayed up till 12.30pm.

Sleep count for Tuesday night 5 hours 30 mins

Wednesday night we were without power till after 8pm - so eldest daughter and myself kept R company she fell asleep but woke continually from 11ish, at 1.30am I gave up and slept on her floor.

Sleep count less then 5 hours and back pain extreme.

I sound woe is me, I have tried going to bed earlier but what happens when you constantly have a little visitor you do not get to sleep.

My twin sister reminded me yesterday about Dr Greens Toddler Taming. I have been reading his advise and will be following his methods for:
Repeated middle-of-the-night wakening
When they won't go to bed at night
The child who comes to his parents' bed each night
The procrastinator
The early riser
The night prowler
The cot escapee

so many areas to cover for a 27 month year old.

Anyhow if anyone wants to be my sponsor and lend an ear of support it would be greatly appreciated.

Not the end of the world stuff and she is still a delight during the daylight hours BUT I want to have at least one day before I am 40 when I am not in a total state of zombie-ness (probably no such word but it sounds good).