Day 143 - BEST FRIEND

Today I want to say a big HAPPY 40TH BIRTHDAY to my best friend Mandi!

We've been friends for almost half my life!

We've celebrate many birthdays together, two engagements, and one wedding. 

We've rejoiced over the births of five children, shared first days of school and helped at each others kids' birthday parties. 

We've been through several house moves and lived in separate states twice which also means having said goodbye to each other twice too.

We have shared several trips to the park, the beach and the zoo as well as an interstate trip, a road trip and I'm sure, many shopping trips!!

We've watched several movies, eaten dinners, lunches and morning teas together. Chatted in probably hundreds of phone calls and emails, hung out over thousands of cups of teas (maybe!) and sent millions of text messages (actually I think that may be close!!)

So again, Happy Birthday Mandi! Sorry I can't be there to celebrate with you but a lot has happened over even the last decade....so who knows where we'll both be during the next one!!

xxxxxxxxxx

(oh and PS, Mandi if you're reading this blog, this is how I'm going to go back to having my hair!! LOL!!)

Day 142 - 25

Yesterday was an absolutely glorious day in Hobart!

It got to an unexpected but beautiful 25 degrees. After only just being in double digits for what seems so long now anything over 20 seems like a miracle....

....and I am so glad to say that Mia and I made the most of it (I'm especially thankful now that today is looking very grey and they are forecasting just 13 degrees for tomorrow).

We went to Long Beach. Probably my favourite spot in Hobart. We went to the park there (known locally as the boat park and my favourite one) where we met some friends and bumped into several others. It seems that lots of people were out to make the most of the day :) After playing with friends for Mia and chatting with the mums for me it was time for the other families to leave. But Mia and I just couldn't bear to end the day so soon. 

Mia asked to go down onto the beach (which the park overlooks) so we did. I sat on a nearby bench whilst Mia roamed the beach. I was really surprised that she didn't want me to come and join her as my 4 year old is usually quite demanding of my attention. But I guess it has been sooooo long since she'd had such an experience that she was totally absorbed in it.....feeling the sand in her toes, drawing in the sand.......ahh bliss!!

It truly was a lovely day. I did pay for it a little later when I got home to a very messy house and realised all the things I needed to get done in such a small amount of time (a birthday cake to make for a certain 9 year old for one). But I was still very thankful for our blessed day!!

Day 141 - 9

Today is our Lukey's 9th Birthday!

Luke Thomas born 10 days early at 9.29am weighing 6 lbs 6 1/2  oz. A beautiful baby!

Luke is funny, creative, a good big brother (to his little sister who just "appeared" in his birthday photos!), cool, musical, and imaginative.

Happy 9th Birthday Luke!!

Day 140 - FAMOUS

Lots of people have a street named after them......apparently I have a building!!!

I have no idea what it is though but my brother in-law sent me this picture of it from Mt Gambier!

Day 139 - SCHOOL CAMP

This guy went off on school camp today....until Friday afternoon.

How strange it will be without him around this place for that long.

Day 138 - LEGOLAND #3

Day 137 - LEGOLAND #2

Me looking very hot and tired.....and 7 weeks pregnant!

It sure is amazing what you can make with lego!!

Day 136 - LEGOLAND #1

All this talk lately of lego led me to look back on our photos from our visit to Legoland, in San Diego, back in 2007. Thought I might share a few over the next couple of days.

I hope you enjoy them!

(don't forget to click on any pics that you want to see in more detail)

Time to play with some lego

Taking a drive in a lego car

Day 135 - LEGO

Since I mentioned yesterday about there being a lot of lego in this house, I thought I might show you how the collection has grown since the last time I shared.

With two boys who tend to ask for lego for birthdays and Christmas, and a Big Boy who now also has re-discovered his love of lego (and also asked for lego for his last birthday and did indeed, receive a lego beach house!) it soon amounts to quite a lot. As you'll see, the layout has now included another table in which to display it.

I like the lego houses the best :)

Oh and we love the new "girl's" range of lego that is out. Especially since one of the characters is named Mia!!

Day 134 - LEGO GAMES

One of the nice things about school holidays is having that little bit more time, to spend time doing things you don't always get the chance to do. Board games are one of those things that we don't normally do a lot of and when we do, we tend to reach for those old favourite "known" games where everyone already knows how to play and you can get stuck straight into playing. 

Well, I have a board game confession to make. We had bought this lego game for Luke's birthday maybe last year? or even the year before? and yet had never actually gotten round to properly playing. The instructions seemed a little complicated and who has the time to learn something new? A bit surprising though really considering the amount of lego in this house.

Well, last night the kids brought it out, and so I sat down with the instructions and worked it all out.....and we loved it! I can highly recommend this as a fun game. The instructions do seem a little bit tricky at first but we found that if you just start playing and read as you go it's highly enjoyable. 

So it looks like lego games are the latest addition to the enjoyment of lego by the members of this house. I guess we'll have to dig out the other two lego games that we have in the cupboard but have never played now :p

Day 133 - FOURTEEN

14 years ago today I got married to this guy <3 We were engaged for a year and then together for 3 more years before that! That's 18 years in total or exactly half of my life that we have been together!!

It's been a wonderful time and I look forward to the spending the rest of our lives together.

Happy 14th Anniversary Babe xx

Day 132 - WHITE

White lilies in the garden :o)

I used to love seeing these grow wild on the sides of the road when driving down south in WA.

Now, despite this not being the prettiest or nicest house that we're in, at the least the garden has some beauty.

I love lilies!

Day 131 - FINESSE

(photo taken by Paul)

Only Mia could do the vacuuming with such style and finesse!!

Strike a pose :o)

Day 130 - TWO YEARS AGO TODAY

This is how they looked :o)

(by the way, if you ever want to see a bigger version of any of the photos that I post just click on the photo itself)

Day 129 - SAILING

Luke sailing all by himself :)

Day 128 - LITTLE TACKER

Our little tacker Luke became Tasmania's first Little Tacker today when he was the first kid to sign up for their 3 day sailing course!!

The great thing for us is that the sailing is done right across the road from our house!

(photos taken by Paul)

Day 127 - MADAGASCAR

Number 3 that is.

Just for a little holiday fun.

I'm afraid I can't tell you how the movie was though....I fell asleep :s oops!!

Day 126 - CAFES

Do you have a cafe that you've driven by often and wanted to check out but haven't? 

Well this one was that for me. 

Gone AWOL in the city. 

Well I'm pleased to say that this week the boys and I made it in for a little brunch so now I can cross it off my mental list.

It didn't disappoint either. Funky place with yummy cakes and drinks, comfy couches and bookshelves full of novels and magazines for those with a little extra time to relax :)

Love how they write the day's weather on the window each day too!

Day 125 - FIRST DAYS

Since it is school holidays I thought it might be fun to look back at the photos from the first days of school for my two big boys.

Owen was only 3 and a half when he started Kindy with Mrs New and Mrs Dallamora. Just a baby still really.

Luke was a full year older when he started with Mrs Campbell and Mrs Dallamora.