Casting Crowns

Now I'm a big fan.

Who? I hear you ask.

A fantastic band who just sing the most amazing songs and a lead singer who has an amazing voice! I was lucky enough to score a couple of VIP tickets to see them in Sydney in January. I was so excited to go on a date with my hubby to a concert! Just like the olden days!! hahahha

Their new album is called The Well

they look like this

and we got to meet them and they looked like this...

 We had to wait in line so I played with my iphone for a bit...

umm whos is the hotty?

ok I'll stop now

So then we sat inside and managed to be in the second row!! I could se EVERYTHING!! Loved it!!!

All it looked like this...

Awesome night...but hey... we don't get out much!!!!

Australia Day

Well I would have to say that Australia Day 2012 was one of the best days I've had in a long time.

A couple of days before my beautiful children were trying to create a Slip n slide in the back yard. They found that it didn't work, the water didn't flow and it was way too short. The kids were...lets just say...disappointed.

What do you do when your kids are disappointed and want so much for something to work, but they just can't make it happen?

You give them a little help!!

So after a little discussion with my lovely friend Nel, we decided that this Australia Day we would re create the most amazing slip n slide EVER!!!

It started as a small get together with a few friends...it turned into the place to be!!!!

30 kids and around 30 adults decendended on the humble home that I share with my family and we turned our neighbourhood into one HUGE party!!!

The event even had it's own page on Facebook!!! ( I would kill my kids if they made a page to invite all their friends to my house but I thought I'd give it a try before they turned 18 and could follow mums example!!!)

So the trophy was prepared, called "The Awesome Cup of Glory" to be presented to the most amazing slider. It rested safely on my side table until the presentation!!!

So once all our friends arrived we ate a fantastic BBQ cooked by my lovely hubby, we then went out into the yard to commence the proceedings with the Australian National Anthem. We stood tall and sung loudly!!!

Let the Games Begin!!!!

Ruby with her hat she chose from Hot Dollar!!

The slide

Eager participants

Even the little ones loved it!

My beautiful family and friends

and the "Awesome Cup of Glory" goes to....

JULIAN!!! YAY

Thanks to all my freinds and family for making it the best day ever!!!!

blog stalking

ok I'm back to blog stalking and I just love all these pictures from the House of Turquoise. I just have to share them!!! Today I was encouraged by a freind to dream big. I went straight to my favourite blogs and looked at houses!! Can't help it. ..I just want them all!!!

ok So I must sleep now but I did get a warm and fuzzy feeling looking at these!! lol



Out of Africa

Well today I woke up to have my little new iphone beep at me. A message I wonder or a facebook post? I am a little addicted (as my husband would say) so I immedately opened the phone to see that a friend had posted me a message and picture from Africa.

To begin to understand how awesome this is I must take you back to the start. ...

My beautiful friend from work has a heart for the less fortunate. She volunteers her time in serving God in many different ways. Most of the time with precious little ones. She recently went on a mission trip to Kenya to build schools for a small community. Her heart was so touched that she was determined to go back and finish more of what she had started.

She needed over $4 000 to build school buildings. So she began to fundraise in fun and exciting ways to engage our very own community. We had discos for kids, bike riding days, family fun days all to raise the much needed funds to complete her work.

One idea that she had was to sell 'bricks' to families where she worked for $10. A piece of paper represented one brick sold. It was then given to our little ones to write messages and draw pictures on it.  She told the children that she would take these bricks and give to the children of Kenya. Our children I don't think really understood at the time but seemed eager to participate!

Today I woke to amazing pictures of Brianna doing just that!! Children holding all the special messages that we had written!!A tear welled up in my eye as I began to see with my very own eyes what a change we can make with such a small piece of paper. My children were also able to see their pictures in the hands of needy kids. I almost could see the light flick on as they began to understand what this meant.

Thanks Brianna for all that you do for these kids. It has inspired many to think outside their little box and opened our kids eyes to another world. A world of hope, love, generosity, kindness and compassion.

I'm blessed to have you for my children's teacher..they have learnt alot!!!!

kids that I teach with their familes, helping

Kenyan Kids...LOVE IT!!

Brianna presenting the bricks to the children

I wonder what the story is behind these eyes....

Brianna loves these kids!!!

So I will leave you there..hope you have had a great day like I did!!!!

Idea for today...

ok so I don't have anything great to share today as I have been in bed most of it with a migrine. All I have to share is this great idea that I will use on my desk at home.......

  Source: teamimhoff.com

as we are

Hello! Well i have been busy today! I decided that it would be great to take my kids on the bus! Yes I am a terrible parent that has never exposed my children to such an event! Even Harry gets taken to school everyday so he has had limited experience on the magic bus.

So today I dragged my parents along with me (they get a kick out of stuff  like this!!) and off we went! It was a big trip..NOT into our local town and back. We managed to fit in a play in the park, walk to through the shops, lunch and of course a minor stack!! What is a trip out if someone doesn't come home with scraped knees?

So in my attempt to be true to my word, here are some more personal pictures of my last couple of days. I will be going back to stalking blogs and pinterest tonight! That is after my date with my best friend to Max Brenner!! With out children!! yay!! I love them to death but a coffee and chocolate at Max's trumps a trip on the bus ANYDAY!!!

I've looked over the pictures and decided to post it how it is! No glamour poses in the bunch. I guess it is how we are. I'm guilty of sifting through the pictures to post the most flattering ones and painting a picture of absolute perfection! So today I will post the ones that I would normally leave on the cutting room floor.

We have been battling the dreaded ear infection so this is Ruby's new swimming outfit...you can see how much she loves it.

yeah... out comes the pose when the camera starts to click..

A stylish bike ride at the beach

brother to follow closely behind. Yes here is one other stack which grazed his whole side of his face. Boys.... need I say anymore?

um not sure if it is my child or a lost puppy...why Jules? Maybe the stack had more of an effect than I first thought?

spinning till I spew..When will they learn?

feeling it now mum..

on the see saw.. He needed mums help (weight) to make it work!! Glad my kilos came to good use!!

Ruby picking up  'bommy knockers'

to put in the bommy knocker sculpture

fasinated

Then we came home for the afternoon. Harry wanted to play master chef. Really!?? I'm a bit tired kid!

I then remembered how I wanted to 'do' things with them. ok then what did he want to cook? Tomato and Ricotta Tortellini. Yum. He did such a good job, I had to take a picture!

 

Not sure what he has planned next but I'm excited!! I should introduce him to chocolate. Think of all the possibilities?!!



Snails and puppy dog tails..

yes that is what boys are made of! Girls on the other hand are made from sugar and spice all all things nice! Well in the current environment at our house it is the complete opposite!! Ruby Belle is having some fun pushing the boundaries and these two below help me realise that it is a stage and they grow out of it. Not to say they don't have their time to shine some days!

I have been trying to make the house a great place to be these holidays. You know do all the fun things, engage, be involved, plan outings and enjoy good food! I knew it was going to be a Looooong holiday when my eldest tells me at 8am on the first days of school holidays that he was BORED!!!

So that is why the blog has taken a beating over Christmas and new year. I've been tied up else where...being personal assistants to my children who have more of a social life than me!

2012 is going to be a great year...I can feel it in my waters!! lol I time to dream, plan, assess, enjoy, laugh and love. I hope that I can share some of these moments with you! I 'm loving writing this blog and enjoy the feedback from you all.  It's lovely to hear from you that your enjoy reading it.

I actually went to a wedding the other day and the family scrubbed up well!! We took lots of pictures that I'll share next time (it takes too long to up load and I really need to sleep! zzzzzzzzzzz)

until next time!!