Ready to leap into 2009

2008 has been tricky. Challenging, confronting, annoying, frantic and just plain tricky. Of course, there were some fabulous days, but mostly it's been a very long, emotional and exhausting slog.

I'm now (finally) realistic enough to know that 2009 may bring more of the same, but I'm hopeful it will also bring more understanding, compassion, patience, thoughtfulness, contentment, peace and love.

I'm thankful this year ends today. I believe you get a fresh start at new year's. We're ready to leap into it.

Be happy and safe tonight.
xxxx

Happy everything - from us to you

I've always enjoyed the days between Christmas and New Year. A time for calm reflection, playing with new toys, reading new books and just quiet pottering around the house. In theory anyway ;)

Our quiet pottering was interspersed with quiet cursing yesterday while we put up the new trampoline.

So as the season for wearing funny hats comes to an end, happy everything from us to you.

peace and love, k, m, r, m xxxx

Peace and love

After many years of wishing and sending peace and love, here they are. These sweet little poppets arrived from Canberra, made by my very dear and talented friend Cindy. Thanks Cin, I love them. xx

peace and love, k x

I made a pavlova!

It was on last year's list :)

We came home today. I like coming home. Ruby does too. The boys seem to be wishing they were still somewhere else.

wishing you peace and calm.

Time to play

I'm looking forward to playing lots of games with Ruby and Max through the school holidays. We're big players - well Ruby, Max and I are - Mark, not so much.

I was very *very* very pleased that Ruby has figured out how to play Scrabble. I LOVE Scrabble. And she's competitive. She played really well. I don't like to lose and it looks like she might be tough to beat as she gets older.

This was our first ever family Scrabble game. :)

Can't wait to play the other games after Christmas!

xxxx

p.s. Max was pleased that he got to spell out "poo" :O

Thankful for traditions - new and old

I love Christmas trees. LOVE LOVE LOVE them.

Each year we make or buy new decorations, it's one of the things we do each Christmas. Ruby and Max have made MANY decorations for the tree this year. Our dear old tree is groaning under the strain of bazillions of lovingly made 'gifts for the tree'.

How do you decorate your tree - with sentimental stuff or designer flair?

peace and love to you xxxx

The big list

I don't think I've been a super achiever against the list this last year. I think I put too many life goals on the list. Realistically I should have known that I wouldn't have the $$ or the time to do ALL of the things on the list. So the next list will be more achievable. Maybe. Or maybe it won't be. I am always an optimist. Always setting challenges that I can't possibly achieve. So be it. But I LOVE trying.

So what did I do?

1. see a platypus in the wild - well no.
2. run for 6kms without stopping and without collapsing - well no. But I did make 3kms.
3. lose 6 kgs - well no. But I lost 2 - 3kgs.
4. re-read "The Art of Happiness" YES. Done
5. learn about Catholic religious practices so I understand what Ruby's doing at school. YES. Done
6. help with reading in Ruby's class for a morning every 6 weeks or so - Ah, no.
7. write a card or a letter each week - well not each week, but I did write at least 1 a month.
8. sew my own skirts. Yes. Well I made 1.
9. take Ruby and Max to Canberra. I took myself to Canberra (but only for work). Did not take the kids anywhere out of Queensland this year. :(
10. read 5 new authors. YES! Sure did.
11. order Moo cards. No. I didn't because I changed my mind.
12. make a pavlova. No. But I ate a lot of meringues. Surely that counts.
13. have a holiday in Sydney. *sigh* No.
14. hire a kayak every now and then. Only once. Not often enough really.
15. buy a Max ring. Yes. Maybe. I got a cheap ring (gorgeous black rose) and Max has said it will be a Max ring until we can afford diamonds.
16. do a photo session every month. Yes. I have taken a lot of pics this year.
17. learn how to use the different functions on my camera properly YES! I did a fantastic photography course and am booked in for another one in a couple of months time.
18. use the treadmill at least 4x every week. ah, no. I did it for a couple of months, but it didn't last.
19. ride my bike! Yes. But only once. :)
20. organise play dates for Ruby and Max. Yes, they had a few.
21. print all of Ruby and Max's baby photos. YES.
22. buy a new suit. I'll get another one in winter. YES.
23. have a pedicure. YES.
24. reconnect with Rod and Donna. Sadly no.
25. take a Pilates class. No.
26. learn how to use CUBA (work thing). YES!
27. take Ruby and Max bushwalking. YES
28. read the newspaper. More than just on the weekends that is. YES. Not every day but regularly.
29. subscribe to Crikey. YES (and no). My dear friend Sam sent me her subscription very regularly. Thanks Sam. xx
30. blog at least once a week. I'm going to say YES. It was close.
31. practice compassion everyday. I've really focused on this. So YES.
32. write to Souerng often. No, not often enough.
33. stretch every day. No.
34. download fave songs/albums from the internet. Um, no. How did this get on my list?
35. make time to escape every month or so. YES, I believe I have.
36. write my "I believe" manifesto. YES.
37. back up my digital photos. YES. I've started, just recently.
38. surprise Mark. Maybe.
39. replant the front garden. Nope.
40. stick with natural medicines to improve my health. Yes, mostly.
41. spend a day with Mark every month or so. Only a few days this year.
42. buy some gorgeous new perfume. YES! Of course.

So in the last 12 months I've done 23 out of 43 things on the list. I think that's OK. My next list might be a wee bit less ambitious but I'm happy with 23 things.

peace and love, k xxxx

A happy day. Lots to be thankful for around here.

It was my birthday yesterday. I forget how old I am now. Sadly the kids remember the number very clearly. It's a number somewhere between 0 and 100. :)

Things that I loved about my birthday:

• It was a happy happy day. It started with a phone call from Mum before any of us were awake. And then Max (in our bed) rolling over sleepily and saying "do you know it's your birthday today?" before he even woke up properly. And then a big hug. Ruby was close behind with sleepy but intense and sincere birthday wishes.
• Cake and chocolates were prepared before breakfast but it was decided (not by me) to save them until dinner time because someone thought 7am was too early to be peeling and scoffing white Lindor balls. *sigh*
• I received lots of beautiful wishes yesterday from family and friends - thanks so much for thinking of me. xx
• We tripped up to the Eumundi markets for a family day out (thanks to Mark for taking the day off work x) - it was hot and humid and we were all sweaty and stinky by lunchtime. Lurvely.
• I had a fabulouso coffee and a stroll around Berkelouw bookshop (which I LOVE). Only bought one book for me (a stephanie Dowrick one cause I'm in *that* frame of mind). 4 for Ruby and 1 for Max.
• We ate deliciously healthy market foods - organic vegie meals and frozen mango juice ice blocks. Yum.
• I had a big long and high swing. I love to swing, so invigorating, wish I did it more often!
• We came home, sat on the front verandah, drank beer and ordered Indian takeaway for tea - yum yum yum butter chicken and naan. I don't think it gets any better than that.

It was a perfect day. Here's some pics:

I was very spoiled this year. Tickets to Billy Joel (it was a seriously brilliant concert), a new tripod (hooray!), a book, a Billy Joel DVD, some cutlery that Max chose for me to take to work and more. I also got Wes' single CD! I love Wes, but I think we only played the CD about 37 times yesterday, not nearly enough really. ;)

peace and love xxxx

The theme is thanks

I stumbled across nablopomo this morning. I like it. Every month there's a theme. This month's them is 'thanks'. I love having a theme, a word, something to focus on.

I'm feeling very thankful today. I've got a good home, I'm well loved and we're pretty safe and secure in as many ways as we can be.

I'm thankful for an afternoon of pottering and dithering yesterday with Jan and Ruth.

I'm thankful for the friendship and kindness of the lovely Bernadette who makes the best coffee in Wynnum and who happily dispenses medical/relationship/parenting advice with her coffee.

I'm thankful for a week off work to get organised before Christmas.

I'm thankful for the support of good people in my local community. A quick visit to the local shops yesterday turned into more than 2 hours of chatting with people here and there.

I'm thankful as always for Ruby and Max and their generous love. Ruby came home yesterday with her little craft creations, including many, many love notes for me and her daddy. She writes about her love. Max talks about it. He gushes with love and describes his feelings beautifully.

And today, I'm also thankful to Rachel for pics like this one from a recent session:

what are you thankful for?

sending you peace and love xxxx

Not a preppie anymore

Ruby finished Prep last Friday. She's excited about being a Year 1 kid next year. And I'm super excited that Mrs McConnon will be her teacher again next year.

Ruby's had a big, positive and fabulous first year of school. Thank heavens! Her end of year report card is lovely:

Teacher comments:
Ruby's commitment to work and her exceptional behaviour have contributed to a very successful year. Interactions with peers are always peaceful as she has the ability to negotiate and compromise in a calm and quiet manner. Independence with learning is demonstrated when she orgaises her materials and work space efficiently and effectively without assistance. Ruby has made exceptional progress this semester with her reading and writing. Her ability to spell phonetically is very accurate and she is able to confidently read back her own writing. During handwriting tasks, Ruby is still using 2 fingers with her thumb to support the pencil. Ruby has established a very sound bank of sight words and is reading books confidently. In the area of Early Mathematical Understandings, Ruby has grasped the concepts covered this semester. Ruby has also made sound progress in the area of Active Learning Processes. This was especially evident during discussions and activities on our Bay Unit. Ruby has been a fantastic role model for her peers and it is wonderful to see the amount of effort Ruby puts into her work. Well done Ruby.

Student comments:
At school I enjoy drawing, the sandpit, collage, writing, seeing our buddies and going to Drama. My friends are Emily, Macey and Meika. This semester I have learnt how to write the right way and how to look after our Bay by not putting rubbish in drains. I have learnt about fairies and how to look after our Nazareth House buddies. My buddy has helped me with Healthy Harold activities. I need to work on writing. I am good at reading and drawing.

I love how they ask the kids for their assessment of their own progress. Beautiful. It's been a good year.

Day One

Day 1 of summer. I love summer. For the first day of this beautiful season, a quote:

"Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air". Ralph Waldo Emerson.

I really would loved to have met RWE, many of his words inspire me.

And day 1 of the advent season. I've joined up for Shimelle's Journal Your Christmas class. I'll get many, many prompts between now and 6 January to get me thinking (and writing and photographing) about what I love the most about Christmas. I'm excited!

Our tree is up, we're tinselled out.

Can't have a post without a photo, so here's a pic from 1 December 2004:

and from 1 December 2005:

and from 1 December 2007:

I'll try and post often during December. No guarantees of course, but I'll try.

wishing you peace and calm

k xxxx

Random things

I love lists. So here's a list of some random things about our lives from the last couple of weeks:

• We have been *addicted* to Australian Idol this season. We've never really watched it before, but this year we fell for it completely. Max loved Teale, Kath and Ruby loved Wes (and Luke) and Mark loved all the girls (of course) but especially Sophie and Roshani (oh blergh). We all had 1 vote each every week, although sometimes I snuck in 2 ;) There was some quiet sobbing when Teale left. Max was shattered. He kept saying, very quietly: "I voted for him you know. I loved him very much". Yes, we know Max. But hooray for Wes! We're not sure quite what we'll do on Sunday nights now.
• Ruby's end of year school performance was today. I was in a mad rush to get there from work and forgot my camera. *sigh* One of the other mums took some pics for me. It was fabulous - lots of energetic singing and dancing to Wiggles songs. Cute.
  
• School finishes at lunchtime on Friday next week. Good grief, how did that come around so fast?
  
• Ruby and Max have prepared their lists for Santa. Max has asked for a trampoline, a Roary racing track, a Hot Wheels racing track, any kind of racing track that's available really, a Spiderman motorbike, a Roary DVD, any Roary stuff really and a lot of things that he says he can't remember but Santa knows about. Ruby has asked Santa to bring her a surprise present.
  
• There's been a little bit of drama at school with a boy (who has special needs) attaching himself to Ruby. He was pinching and hitting and pushing her over every day at lunch time but she didn't say anything because she didn't want him to get in trouble. It seems to be mostly sorted now, but it was tricky for a week or so while Ruby worked out how she could talk to the boy about being her friend and not hurting her. He has since written her a beautiful card saying he won't hurt her, that he wants to be her friend and that he really likes her lunchbox. I'm super impressed by how Ruby has handled this.
• Max took up soccer. It lasted for one week. The boy has no staying power.

• Max got accepted into an incredible local kindy. We put his name down quite late, so were very grateful to get a call offering him a place on the days we'd hoped for. He starts on January 30th and he cannot wait. He's got the t-shirts, the hat and the library bag and he's ready to go.
  
• I've thrown myself into the world of C+K with great gusto. I'm always committed to doing volunteer work in the community so I've been thinking about being how I could be involved in Max's new kindy. So last night at the AGM, in a moment of madness, I offered to be the President. Looks like the year ahead will be challenging but fun. I'm looking forward to building even stronger connections with local families and the community.
  
• Ruby was the prayer monitor at school last week - it was a responsibility she took very seriously. We talked about what she could pray for and what she should place on the prayer mat each day. She thanked God for jacaranda trees and the rain we received (although she may have overdone the prayers for rain) and her friends and her family and rainbows and other random things. Beautiful.
  
• Jan and I took R, M, E and H for a quick (and chaotic) photo shoot a couple of weeks ago when the jacarandas were flowering. I really want to get out and about more taking pics. Here's a couple:

• I went to Kylie Johnson's Christmas show last weekend, with my dear friend Jan. I've loved Paper Boat Press things for a few years now, but this years treasures are gorgeous. I bought some of these:

pic from www.biome.com.au

• I've been on a ticket buying frenzy the last couple of days. We've got tickets to The Awfully Big Adventures of Peter Pan in January; Tina Arena in March and Spaced Out Santa next weekend. I'll probably take a breath and stop ticket shopping for a little while.....
• We're getting ready for Christmas. Hoo haa, we love Christmas. We'll be decking the halls of Chez Thompson this weekend.

and to finish this marathon post, a couple of random quotes:

1. Max "I like daddy lions best. You know, the ones with beards". heehee


2. "I don't think Max has turned his brain on today"


3. "mummy - is the Santa that comes to our house different to the Santa that goes to other people's houses?" "no." "mmmmm, well then why does Santa put fruit and toothbrushes and apple juice in our Santa bags? Emily and Sarah and Meika and Macey don't get fruit or other stuff like that. They just get toys".


4. "Mummy, did you know that the Tooth Fairy pays $20 for a tooth?" What???! "Yes mummy, that's the amount he pays. it's a fact".


5. "Mummy I love you so much more than you love me. I don't think anyone else loves you so much" oh dear.

Sending you peace and love,

k, m, r, m xxxx

Intense, emotional, loving, passionate, perfect

November 2005: November 2008:
*sigh*
We love him.

2005 pic taken by Rachel Richter

We *love* Rachel

She is amazing.

We had some photos taken today with Rachel. Have a look at what she's done. Look here. Beautiful.

Love these pics. Can't wait to see the rest.

Promise to be back with a real post soon. :)

"Will I still be your baby when I'm a poppy?"

The big boy - our baby boy - is 4. Good grief. He didn't want to be 4. Although he was pretty keen to get presents and cake. Just didn't want to be a big boy. I think he was worried he wouldn't be my baby anymore. After telling him he would "always be my baby", the questions started: "when I'm 14 will I be your baby?" - yes Max; "when I'm 40 will I be your baby?" - yes Max; "will I still be your baby when I'm a poppy?" - yes Max - and then lots of rolling around laughing.

So this fabulous boy......

grew from this amazing baby......

Don't be freaked out by the caesar photo - it's one of my fave pics of all time!

Happy Birthday baby Max. We love you.

peace and love, k, m, r, m xxxx

Searching for the perfect birthday cake......

Max's birthday is in 2 weeks time. Which is a short time for me, but a long time to wait for Max. This afternoon we've been looking at birthday cakes on Flickr. Max is very keen to have a Cars cake. The current fave is Mack (picture #8). It took a bit of influencing but he's sold. Thankfully because it's probably the only one I could make!

Wow, there are some INCREDIBLE birthday cakes on Flickr.

1. http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href= Hunting, 2. Cars, 3. http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href= from cars, 4. http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href= mcqueen, 5. http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href= 5, 6. http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href= mcqueen cake, 7. http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href=, The Tow Truck, 8. http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href= truck and the rice krispie cake, 9. http://www.blogger.com/%3Ca%20href= GT

peace and love

kath and max

xxxx

May peace prevail

Today is International Day Of Peace. This day was declared by the United Nations in 1982 and it was suggested that:

"Peace Day should be devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples…This day will serve as a reminder to all peoples that our organization, with all its limitations, is a living instrument in the service of peace and should serve all of us here within the organization as a constantly pealing bell reminding us that our permanent commitment, above all interests or differences of any kind, is to peace."

International Peace Day is about "peacebuilding". Peacebuilding is different from "peacemaking" and "peacekeeping" in that it focuses on creating a long-term culture of peace, rather than solving existing conflicts or preventing old ones from re-occurring. Peacebuilding activities aim at building understanding and tolerance between individuals, communities and societies and establishing new structures of cooperation. Peacebuilding activities range in scale from personal acts of kindness toward others to global inter-governmental programs.

What can you do to build peace in your community, your home, your heart?

May peace prevail.

k, m, r, m xxxx

Questions that I can't answer

Question One: Today, Max and I went along to a "Celebration of Learning" in Ruby's class. The very beautiful and very smart teacher, Mrs McConnon, gushed enthusiastically about Ruby's talents - her reading, writing, drawing and work with numbers - and then asked: "Is Max as bright as Ruby?"

Good grief. That wasn't a question I was prepared for. He's a good boy. He's good with numbers, he's legendary for his table setting skills, he loves reading, he's a patient drawer, he can unpack the dishwasher without breaking stuff and his colouring in talents are second to none. So, of course I said "yes, I think he is" and listed his many talents. But I'm not sure. Although I think he probably is. Do I have to know the answer to this tricky question? Does it mean that Mrs McConnon (who is a fabulous teacher) would want him in her class if he's as good a student as Ruby? Or not? Personally, I have doubts over Max's ability to sit straight on the carpet, to be serious and respectful when they're saying prayers, to concentrate and just generally do what he's asked to do for 6 hours each day. I didn't say that. Thank heavens she didn't ask me about that.

Question Two: I was reading a magazine -so I really should know better than seriously contemplating this - and the question was asked: "if you were in a life threatening situation and could only save yourself and one member of your family, who would it be?" I've probably spent 2 days or more thinking about this question and whipping myself with guilt if I start to settle on a name. God help me, I don't even need to think about this. What a useless and annoying question.

Question Three: How much weight do you think you could lose before the end of October? Oh dear. What an awful question. I am very committed to losing some weight, but how much and in what timeframe? I seriously have no idea. However, if I was really pushed to answer I might commit to 1kg cause I think I could achieve that ;)

Question Four: Again, asked today by Mrs McConnon - super smart and beautiful teacher. She's really messed with my head this afternoon. "Do you think Max will be OK in Prep without experience in Kindy?" While in my head I believe he will be, in my heart it feels like my kids have missed out on some great adventure because they didn't have a C+K experience. This is mad! But my maternal guilt kicked in and I drove directly to the kindy Mrs McConnon recommended and put my smart, well socialised and well adjusted darling boy's name on the waiting list. He's #12 on the wait list so chances are he'll get a run at kindy next year sometime.

I really wish I didn't overthink everything. Oh well.

Fairy Funday Sunday

Guess what we did this morning?





We had a glorious start to our Sunday.

This morning we went to "Fairy Funday Sunday" at our favourite local bookshop for their launch of the Music Fairies series of Rainbow Magic Fairies. Of course, Ruby dressed as Ruby the Red Fairy - for the second time this week! Max was Heather the Violet Fairy (his wings were violet coloured).

Three beautiful musical fairies played flutes and clarinets for the little fairies as they played musical statues, swirled to classical music, listened to a fairy story and did a Fairy fashion parade. It was a very special morning. Max fell in love with one of the "big girl fairies", thanking her at the end of the music and telling her "you are a very beautiful blue fairy and I love your music". The beautiful blue fairy (a 14yo girl from Cannon Hill Anglican College) blushed, swooned and gave Max a little hug. He was very pleased. Meanwhile I was swooning a wee bit for the Music Fairy Director, Mr Christensen. Gorgeous.

We bought books and coffee and love heart shaped cookies. A good morning.

Happy Sunday to you.

xxxx

Happy Father's Day

to daddy. Of course, it was a big daddy love fest here last weekend. But it seems like a daddy love fest most days now. Ruby is besotted with daddy and even Max is warming up to the idea. Finally.

Ruby made a puzzle and a very beautiful card with lots of love hearts and declarations of love.



Max made an amazing bowl (papier mache and fabric) and a fabulous thumb printed card.



We took daddy (and Poppy Woods) out to lunch at Redcliffe. Followed up by some rollicking fun at the park.



Mark's a good daddy, he deserves a special day.

peace and love
xxxx

Term 3 is a busy term

We received a letter from school a few weeks ago saying "Term 3 is a busy term". No kidding. It's been insane. In the last couple of weeks, Ruby has had a full schedule with

• her first ever sports carnival. It was fabulous. Ruby threw herself into all of the activities with a sense of adventure and excitement. The day was all about fun, not competition. Everyone got stickers and cheers and rewards. It was a really positive experience for the kids. Here are some pics of our big beautiful girl in the sprint (with her friend Emily), on the obstacle course and having some rest with her good buddy Madeline.

• the preppies have also recently visited Nazareth House (a retirement home) again. Ruby has a new buddy at Nazareth House, but can't remember her name. Her previous buddy - Vera - who she's visited a few times before, isn't there anymore. It's possible that Vera died, but of course we're not going to talk about that.
• the big school Fete was 2 weeks ago. Ruby practiced a dance routine for weeks and weeks to perform at the Fete, but then sprained her foot pretty badly the day before and couldn't do it. I had cake stall duties from 7.30am and Mark had a massage stand from 10 - 2 at the Fete, so we didn't miss out completely. :)
• Book Parade this week. We didn't really have enough time to be very creative with costumes, but Ruby was pretty happy to go as "Ruby the Red Fairy". She was a beautiful and very red, red fairy. She was excited that she got to lead the Book Parade at school assembly with Chelsea (her big buddy from Year 6). No photos because neither Mark nor I could go. Sadly.
• a big all day marine adventure excursion yesterday out on a catamaran and then down to Wellington Point to an environmental centre to study marine life in Moreton Bay. Sounds like it was an incredible day. Ruby's class has been studying environmental issues of Moreton Bay all semester.

Next Wednesday the class is hosting a "Celebration of Learning" presentation where they'll show their discoveries. I'm going to that. :)

The school offers an amazing range of stimulating and engaging activities for the kids. We're really grateful for that.

peace and love

xxxx

Weekend at nanny and poppy's

We trekked out to mum's last weekend for birthday celebrations.

It was a fun but freezing cold and exhausting weekend.

Max found Gruffalo tracks. Unbelievable. But true. He even found some food that the Gruffalo had chewed up and spat out. Very scary experience.

There was some tractor driving.

And a birthday dinner with family.

Happy birthday nanny and poppy Lloyd.

xxxx

Recent conversations

With Ruby

R: (walking up the stairs) "I've got sand in my shoes"
K: "better shake it out before you go inside then"
R: (stands outside the back door BUT leans over to shake the sand out inside the house) !!
K: (gives R the cranky stare and arm waving gesture in disbelief)
R: *sigh* "well then - do it, I'm waiting"
K: "do what?"
R: "you know......the shouting thing"
K: "OK. Jesus Rube what were you thinking....?"
R: "do you love Jesus mummy? I love Jesus. He's very special"
K: *sigh*

With Ruby and Max
K - wearing a jarmie shirt that says "Dag"
R - "are you a dag mummy?"
K - "maybe. do you know what a dag is?"
R - "I think dag means you are crazy and silly but still very fabulous"
M - "no it just means you're shouty and naughty - like a mummy"
K: *sigh*

Random things about our lives

Ruby announced this afternoon that there was a very special visitor at school today. Mary MacKillop. When I suggested Mary MacKillop had been dead a long time, Ruby insisted it was "the REAL Mary MacKillop and she wasn't dead." Apparently Mary likes "helping people, being kind, talking to kids, throwing stones and playing hopscotch". All good things. Although she has been dead for 99 years! Yes, I googled.

Max has saved all his goodnight kisses "in his pocket". Ruby says she keeps her kisses "in her heart".

Max has finally admitted to having a friend - who is a boy - at kindy. Orlando is the lucky boy. But Max has also said "I only like him sometimes. I like McKinley ALL the time."

We had a big, fun weekend. Ballet, shopping at Paddington, playing with friends and a BIG day out Byron Bay. Byron Bay was crazy and chaotic. Especially as the Splendour in the Grass festival was in full swing. The markets were not the main attraction for Byron this weekend so they were quiet'ish. Market highlights for our happy little family included: bungee bouncing, merry go rounding, eating falafel, getting hair braids, delicious (but ugly) green smoothies, watching the drummers, enjoying the very warm winter sun. A beautiful day.

We pick up our new car this Friday. Max is having buyer's remorse. On one hand he loves that the car is "a bit sporty" and he's looking forward to driving fast and hanging on tight. But on the other hand, he's pretty upset about the size of the "fin". He lies in bed flapping around moaning about the 'fin' not being big enough and wishing we'd got a real 'fin' and not just a 'wing'. He's talking about the size of the spoiler. God help us. Who'd have thought we were the kind of people to ever own a car with a spoiler of any size!

Kath's pre Christmas panic has started early - after waking up in a cold sweat too many times from a dream that it's late on Christmas Eve and we don't have a single present. Not that our lives would end if that was the case......but there would be some explaining to do. So our Christmas shopping has started early. Santa has already got a good stash.

Ruby has 'show and share' this Thursday. The theme is "God's creation". She's thinking of talking about love. Of course. Apparently her show and share will involve love hearts, love letters and Barbie dolls hugging. eek.

Here's some pics from the weekend:

peace and love and splendour xxx

What's that there, can you see?

We had a fantastic adventure today. We skipped school (:o) and went to a very colourful, very energetic, very fabulous concert.

Thanks Justine, we love you.

peace and love xxxx

p.s. am I the only one who thinks Justine is the "Kasey Chambers wannabe chick" of Playschool? Although she may be more kooky than country.

Love is a tune you hum-de-hum-hum

Oh Bang! A boom-a-boomerang is love.



We're having a BIG ABBA festival around here lately. The DVD is playing endlessly :)

Ruby is love obsessed so of course her fave ABBA song is Bang-a-boomerang. Her fave ABBA chick is Agnetha - of course, because she looks like a princess. Max (who can never decide) loves all the songs and all of the "ABBA people".

I wish I could remember all the ABBA dance moves - *sigh*.

In other - non ABBA news - Max believes he "will be a man when he's 5" and that he accidentally ate a monster while he was asleep last night. Scary stuff. Ruby believes that daddy gives the "best hugs ever" and that she knows all there is possibly to know about money. She's pleased to have "5 pieces of money". She might have a bit more to learn yet. ;)

We've also bought a new car which we'll pick up in early August.

I'm back at work now after a short but super fabulous break for school holidays.

Be happy and well.
xxxx

The photo is from www.abbasite.com