22 January 2016

CREATE Memories

We have created some lovely memories over these school holidays.

Yesterday I took the girls to see my Aunt and cousin, who love catching up with the girls. After some colouring-in and a lunch of sandwiches and strawberries, the girls enjoyed being cooled off with the hose by their much older cousin.

Waterplay

The day before we enjoyed a comedy magic show at the local library.

We've ridden bikes (well the girls, not us), enjoyed quality time together as a family, been to the pools for a swim, caught the train in to the city to see some Art, went to the movies, caught up with family & friends, and even camped in our tent at my brother's place (which the girls loved!) up the mid north coast.
Popette on her new bike she got for her birthday!

A sneaky pic of Cherub asleep in the tent

Our tent
We've enjoyed 3 of our 4 birthdays together as they are within 6 days of each other. I was very spoilt on my birthday, with a lovely lunch out, then Sydney put on the most spectacular fireworks (well they do it every year, what can I say I'm special...or is it because its NYE?)

The girls and I all ready for the NYE fireworks!
We've enjoyed special outings to restaurants, gone to the park, jumped on a jumping pillow, played in the backyard on the slip n slide, painted, watched DVDs together, played Wii Sports, UNO and board games together.

Having a bounce
All these wonderful memories will now get stored away in our memory banks and hopefully not forgotten (my memory is terrible), so we can recall with love and fondness of the great times we shared together over the holidays.

19 January 2016

My guiding word {CREATE}

For the past couple of years I have chosen a simple word (or words like in 2014) over a long list of resolutions I was sure I wasn't going to keep. When I choose a word I have a think about what I am wanting to achieve in the new year, and if it will help guide, and motivate me.

This year I have chosen the word CREATE. I wanted a word that allowed me to have a little fun, be a little bit more relaxed and free to make mistakes and not worry if something hasn't gone to plan.

As a creative person, I think it captures everything I am wanting to work on this year perfectly. 

create memories
create friendships 
create a fitness routine
create balance
create moments of gratitude
create experiences
create opportunities & possibilities
create joy, love & laughter
create works of art
create a new chapter


I created a vision board for the first time a couple weeks ago to help remind myself of what I want to achieve this year and to motivate and inspire me.

Do you have a guiding word or use a vision board? 

06 January 2016

Out with the old, in with the new


Happy New Year! I hope 2016 is treating you well.

We are on to week 3 of school holidays here in NSW. I am currently mulling over my guiding word for the year. This is something I usually have sorted by the beginning of the year, but for whatever reason (call it a sleep deprived brain from staying up late too many nights) I haven't decided on one (or it hasn't found me).

Yesterday, my big girl Popette turned 7! 7 I know!! I can't believe how quickly my little premmie is growing up....so much so that she got her ears pierced yesterday....eeek!

She received a brand new bike from us for her birthday, and can't wait to take it for a spin. The girls have been going a little stir crazy the past couple days with the ongoing rain and are dying to get outside. Cherub has inherited Popette's old bike, so is very excited to try it now that Daddy has put on some training wheels. Fingers crossed we get some sunshine over the next day or two!

Over the past week we've had some wonderful days celebrating our birthdays. I had an amazing birthday which ended in the City watching the 9pm fireworks with Hubby and the girls...but more on that in the coming posts!

Before we get moving in to 2016, I thought I'd give 2015 which wasn't so much of a terrible year, but more an exhausting, one last mention before we start a fresh!

JANUARY

We had a Frozen birthday party for Popette, and did some straw blow painting.


FEBRUARY

I had to let go of my little Cherub as she begun her preschool journey and Popette into Year 1, being grateful for home and time to be creative, and finding ways to help children be grateful.


MARCH

 shared my 10 lessons for the first-time Mum, and made some cute paper plate bird and Easter craft

APRIL

We celebrated Easter, said goodbye to our beautiful boy, and I drank lots of coffee!


MAY

I dreamt of taking the plunge, I spoke about how proud I am of my girls, Cherub's room got a revamp and we did some Celery flower stamping.


JUNE

The moment when I trusted myself and my gut, baked a lovely Orange cake, and suffered the school holidays lurgy!


JULY

I was grateful for time spent together, spoke about the things we did to have a baby and got personal with my new series on "Having a premmie"


AUGUST

What a month! I wrote some heartfelt posts for the "Having a premmie" series on pre-eclampsia and HELLP syndrome, addressing a letter to the new NICU mumma, providing my 6 tips for dealing with parents of a premature baby, and sharing excerpts from a NICU diary.


SEPTEMBER

I wrote my last post for the "Having a premmie" series on what it was like after the NICU, as well as playground antics and getting older.


OCTOBER

We witnessed flowers, birthday and an MRI, my guide to a worry-free birthday party, and some ghostly plates craft for Halloween.


NOVEMBER

I felt a whole lot of reasons to be grateful, and remembered my time away in Paris.


DECEMBER

I recapped on my guiding word (Focus) and what mattered most, and got into the Christmas spirit!