Perth Royal Show

Today is the first day of the school holidays, so we set off to The Perth Royal Show. As we only go every two years, the girls were very excited during the week when I told them this was the year! Ella only vaguely remembered going last time, Kate remembered more and more as the day went on and it was Ruby's first time! We got there at opening time (9am) and left with three very tired pumpkins at 3:15pm. Phil is still away (4 and a half weeks now!) so Amie & I took the little ones. I would never attempt it on my own.

Some pics from our day:

The first ride of the day

Kate enjoys the bumper boats

Ella & Kate loved this one, Ruby did at first, then begged to get off!

Amie & Kate on the sizzler!
Kate is growing up fast attempting "scarier" rides.
That's what big sisters are for right?

Ella with one of her showbags.
Dora! - I thought we were over it!

Checking out the goods!

Watching the horses

Of course, no show is complete without a ride on the merry-go-round!

Spring is here

My second favourite season is officially here, welcome. The downside is that Summer follows, my least favourite season. I don't do hot very well. And boy of boy do we get a long hot summer. Goodbye Winter, I'll miss you.

Snowy Bear comes home for the night!

Ella's class has an award bear that goes home with a child each night for a reason that is decided at the beginning of the day. Yesterday Ella recieved him for sitting nicely on the mat at all mat sessions and packing away nicely at the end of the day. It's the fifth time that Snowy has been to our house this year. Of course he came here a few times two years ago when Kate was in that same class. As you can see Snowy is actually a brown bear. And very loved by all the kids!

How cute are they??

This is one of my favourite pics of Kate and Ella when they were younger. They were 3 and a half and two years. Great friends then, even greater friends now.

Muffin Tin Monday

(Yes, yes I know it's Wednesday but Ella had her friend come over to play, and we don't have to rush out the door to any kind of dancing!!)

They had: apple slinky's, Cheerios, watermelon, corn relish dip, milk arrowroot bikkies, strawberries, rice crackers, carrot sticks, banana, marshmallows and cheese.






I read this idea at Life is a journey not a destination. What a great idea!

This pic is hilarious! Kate looks like she's meditating, Ella looks like what she just ate didn't taste too good. Ruby has Ella's school uniform on as they were playing schools. Jessica looks fine!

Colourful Career

This is where Amie heads off to six days a week

Working with beautiful roses

Aren't the colours just gorgeous?

I wish my job was as colourful

5:30pm at our house

Playing with the animals in the late winter sunshine

Chilling after daycare

Relaxing a la bubble style

Book Week

The girls finished off book week at school this week with a dress-up day! They both chose to go as Snow White, unfortunately my computer, printer and camera are on the blink, so this picture will have to do for now :)

I bought the girls this lovely book (with a CD) to share (well fight over) It has gorgeous illustrations, and well written. It's about a girl called Tilly who goes to ballet on Tuesdays - which happens to be the same day as Kate & Ella. Two nights in a row Ella has fallen asleep listening to the story on the CD. We are onto a winner here!

Sickness times two

Poor baby girl.
Sick with an earache :(

And Ella was picked up late morning from school after she vomitted. She can't keep anything down, poor chicken.

I hope the mischief makers are much much better tomorrow.

Perth Glorious Perth

The sun shone brightly here today, I think it got to 25 deg! A slight breeze. Seeing as were home yesterday in the back garden, today I thought we would head out to a park.

Looking from South Perth across the Swan river to Perth City

I needed to go food shopping, so took a raincheck on a picnic amd decided to grab food while we were out. (always more expensive, but a nice change)


The girls played for awhile then got hungry, so we walked up to the shops and bought fresh fruit salad, ice cream and strawberry milks! Oh and a bottle of water, as they had drunk all they had in the car. After eating they made friends with another couple of girls and played for almost 2 hours before Ella came to me looking very tired, begging to go home.

She did fall asleep in the car on the way home!

Does this sound familiar to you?

Mum and Dad were watching TV when Mum said, "I'm tired, and it's getting late.. I think I'll go to bed"

She went to the kitchen to make sandwiches for the next day's lunches.
Rinsed out the popcorn bowls, took meat out of the freezer for supper the following evening, checked the cereal box levels, filled the sugar container, put spoons and bowls on the table and started the coffee pot for brewing the next morning.

She then put some wet clothes in the dryer, put a load of clothes into the washer, ironed a shirt and secured a loose button.

She picked up the game pieces left on the table, put the phone back on the charger and put the telephone book into the drawer.

She watered the plants, emptied a wastebasket and hung up a towel to dry.

She yawned and stretched and headed for the bedroom. She stopped by the desk and wrote a note to the teacher, counted out some cash for the field trip, and pulled a text book out from hiding under the chair.

She signed a birthday card for a friend, addressed and stamped the envelope and wrote a quick note for the grocery store. She put both near her purse.

Mum then washed her face with 3 in 1 cleanser, put on her Night solution & age fighting moisturizer, brushed and flossed her teeth and filed her nails.

Dad called out, "I thought you were going to bed."

"I'm on my way," she said.

She put some water into the dog's dish and put the cat outside, then made sure the doors were locked and the patio light was on.

She looked in on each of the kids and turned out their bedside lamps and TV's, hung up a shirt, threw some dirty socks into the hamper, and had a brief conversation with the one up still doing homework.

In her own room, she set the alarm; laid out clothing for the next day, straightened up the shoe rack. She added three things to her 6 most important things to do list. She said her prayers, and visualized the accomplishment of her goals.

About that time, Dad turned off the TV and announced to no one in particular. "I'm going to bed."

And he did...without another thought.

Today ... In A Nutshell

1. Strip all the beds and wash bedding
2. Make a batch of muffins
3. Take Kate to Jazz
4. Go to Bunnings to buy more 'stuff' for our patio reno's, including a concrete mixer! YAY!
5. Clean the car, inside and out
6. Bake bread
7. Fruit & Veg shop
8. Roast on for dinner
9. Take kids for a bikeride
10. Pay bills - bleeergh!

ABC's of HOMEMAKING! - Join in

A ~Aprons--

y/n If y, what does your fav. look like?
No, not since I was a child and had to.
B ~ Baking--

Favourite thing to bake?
Cakes and biscuits! Yum.

C ~ Clothes line?
Gosh yes! I couldn't live without one. I have a drier but never use it.
D ~ Donuts--

Have you ever made them?
No, I'm not really a donut fan although I do like all the pretty colours in the bakery.
E ~ Everyday--

One homemaking thing you do everyday?
Make my bed as soon as I get up, providing no one is still in it!
F ~ Freezer--

Do you have a separate deep freeze?
We do.

G ~ Garbage Disposer?
Never had one
H ~ Handbook--

No books really, but the internet is invaluable.
I ~ Ironing--

I don't love it nor hate it. It's just something that has to be done imo. Can't stand unironed clothes personally.

J ~ Junk Drawer--y/n? Where is it?
No. Everything has a place!
K ~ Kitchen--

colour and decorating scheme.
Cream at present although we are currently working our way through the house painting.
L ~ Love--

what is your favourite part of homemaking?
Cleaning and organising. Nothing beats the feeling of a clean and uncluttered house each day.
M ~ Mop--y/n?
Yes! Hate dirty floors.
N ~ Nylons

Machine

O ~ Oven--do you use the window or open the oven to check?
Open the door :)

P ~ Pizza--

I usually order in, naughty!

Q ~ Quiet--What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment?
Computer mostly

R ~ Recipe Card Box--y/n? What does it look like?
No

Style of house--What style is your house?
A bit of cottage, a touch of country and not much modern!

Tablecloths or Placemats?
Both - depends on the occasion.
V ~ Vacuum--How many times per week?
one to two times a day. Small children are messy.
W ~ Wash--How many loads of laundry do you do per week?
Ummm, about 20 loads a week.

X's--Do you keep a daily list of things to do that you cross off?
NO, never!
Y ~ Yard--y/n? Who does what?
Mostly me. Except tree trimming. Not fond of ladders :)

ZZZ's--what is your last homemaking task for the day before going to bed?
switching on the dishwasher. Nothing like knowing ALL the dishes are washing while I sleep!

I saw this at Rural Writings

Please play along on your blog!!! Let me know if you do, so I can visit.

Friday Assembly

Ella was awarded an Honour's Certificate today at the school assembly. She was in the second group, and waited so patiently for her turn. The school awards these for good behaviour/work etc.

Ella's reads " for a fantastic attitude to all her work and for learning all the alphabet sounds"

I was so proud of my girl.

I will get a photo when my camera returns from wandering somewhere!

It's a cats life isn't it?

I've been busy today redoing our budget. Building up a healthy holiday fund, the birthday account is looking good too, so is Xmas. These little things make our life so much easier. I came well under budget in the grocery department too. I'm on a no-buying spree at the moment, which is hard when we are redecorating. I love buying new paint!!! I have all the ingredients to make my first lot of washing powder. I'm looking forward to that - seeing if it measures up to my expectations.

Saturday afternoon tea

This term Ella's class are bringing home a "Learning Bag" every Thursday to be returned by the following Wednesday. They have all sorts of activities inside - baking, books, cards, threading and so on. This week her bag held something she was waiting anxiously for - a cake to make! She had loads of fun measuring the ingredients, cracking the eggs, mixing and of course - licking the
bowl & utensils.

Sprung!

This is what happens when you are sick and the kidlets run wild ...

Good grief!

I have conjunctivitis. Boo hoo. I know it's highly contagous but none of my kids have ever had it, not have Phil or I. One eye is really really bad. It's closed. The other is like looking through a smokey haze. Hope the drops kick in soon.

Thoughtfulness

Today is the last day of the school holidays. I went back to work yesterday though as Phil is home at present. So the girls got to spend the last couple of days with their Dad. When I got home this arvo, they were excited to show me what they had made for me. Aren't they gorgeous?

They got to walk to the park to pick the flowers. Beautiful girls. Beautiful flowers.

Family Day

Quiet day today after a very late night with visitors over. We ALL went to see Kung Fu Panda at the movies. The girls didn't enjoy it at all (no surprises there, I tried to talk them out of going) so they fidgetted all the way through and chatted. Luckily there wasn't many there and we were right up the back so didn't disturb anyone. It wasn't a movie I enjoyed either, infact I fell asleep half way through it - Ssshh... Ha ha! Phil & Amie loved it though - just as well someone did at the price it cost to get in.

Then a bit of shopping - shoes for Phil, perfume for me and a packet of balloons for the girls (for their babies birthday party)

Gordon in Ella's cupboard this morning!

Wet (again!) Friday

The girls were in charge of the camera today, so after they made an indoor cubby

lots of things to play with at 'home'

and played 'babies' They have been playing with the baby borns constantly all week. Feeding and changing them regularly throughout the day. Putting them to bed at 1pm and 5pm. Babies need lots and lots of sleep you know.

Ella and her babies


they set about taking happy snaps. The weather was wet again so definitely another indoor day. We are starting to run out of ideas



serious Kate! funny Kate!

to fill the days, thankfully we only have a few left. With Phil home last night, at least the girls have someone else to play games with, and he does give the best piggy-backs! I had a much overdue colour & cut today,

Phil about to sneeze!

I feel like a new woman. We have friends coming over tonight so at least I have someone to show it off to :) Then we did some selfportraits of the three of us.

Do you know how really hard it is to get us all looking half decent at the same time?

say cheese!

my new 'do'

Every Girl Needs a Pair of Sunnies

Ruby is utterly and totally obsessed with her new Dora sunglasses that Grandma bought her back from America last week.

She takes them everywhere with her, hiding them in her bag at daycare

I hope she doesn't lose them permanently anytime soon, the tears would be too much to bear

She snuggles with them in bed at night

And gets cross when she can't find them