Handy Bag

I saw this handy little bag in a shop last week and thought that it would be - well handy! And I was right. It has had so much use since we bought it. We are often waiting at dancing (especially on Wednesdays when we are there for 3 hours) and we pack food and water bottles in a variety of bags or just chuck them in the car. Having one place to store them all (which fit nicely between the girls' in the back) saves containers getting lost under the seat. I can add some magazines to read to pass the time.

Me!

I finally had a spare 3 hours in the day to go and have my hair done! I think Michelle did a great job!

Out the back

We have been spending so much time out the back now the warmer weather is here. The patio is usable (but won't be completely finished until next year) we have some new adorable outdoor furniture to eat at and relax on, the garden is looking pretty and everything is growing, growing, growing! Even the cat loves being out there!

beautiful pink daisy

Kate's pot- she chose a variety of red flowers

pretty pansies basking in the late afternoon sun

pink geranium

I just love the colour of these pansies

the tomato and capsicum are growing well

so is the cabbage

parsley is plentiful

our lemon tree we revived

Gordon has a wander around with us

I love the new day bed

outside dining

Gordon checks out the couch

and is happy when he gets a pat from Ella

Good Friends

From left: Jade, Tahli, Ella, Kate and Sophie.

Kate and her younger friend (who is a year behind her at school) - Sophie!

Good friends are especially important when we only have a small family living close by. We make the effort for the girls' to have friends over once a week, usually on a Friday. It's a lovely way to end the week.

Sunday

We were going to stay home today as neither Phil or I are particularly well, but then I decided I would take the girls out for a bit of fresh air.

I left Phil at home and the girls and I headed out to the Swan Valley and to the ice cream parlour for pancakes for me and ice creams for the girls.

Mmm Blue bubblegum flavour with a flake

x 2 :)

of course you have to have a play after ice cream

it's great they are still young enough to enjoy playgrounds

I'll miss it when they give it up!

we then decided to head around the corner to the cuddly animal farm

where the girls held, patted and fed many animals.

The guinea pigs were a firm favourite

Ella spent ages feeding the guinea pigs

Kate giving one of the babies a cuddle

Three little piggies

Kate was a bit weary of this goat!

These goats loved the cord on Ella's pants

pony rides are always popular

a cool playground with a tractor

the girls went around the place many many times on this little train

they which this horse was to ride!

On the way home, we stopped into the Margaret River chocolate factory

It was absolutely packed, the chocolate was very expensive so we only bought a little bit each and then left for home

the best bit - free chocolate testing

YUM!

time to go home with a (little) bag of goodies

I hope everyone else had a wonderful Sunday too!

What has been happening around our place?

This is what has been happening around our backyard the past couple of weeks.

We pulled up all the old bricks from the patio

and laid concrete

there were lots of long days and nights

plenty of help came

there was wild windy and wet weather to contend with

still a long way to go

outdoor blinds will be added later

tiles laid on the concrete next autumn

new outdoor furniture to be chosen

guttering to be installed

gardens to be finished

lighting to be hung

gates to be painted

Ella has started a fairy garden

and planted some colour in her pot (Kate is still to do hers)

it all takes time

looking forward to sitting out here when it's all finished!

bricks are pulled up

all ready to go

the first of the concrete is poured

hard at work

first stage completed

concreted to the end of the house, still some to go

starting on the front of the patio

Ella's pot of colour

our little place to sit for now

more colour in pots

the start of Ella's fairy garden