It's what is on the inside that counts

To the untrained eye, the top pic is one of a plane. But it is what (or who?) is on the inside that counts. It was THE plane flown by OUR Capt'n TopGun Unca Steve that we'd waited 3-1/2 years to see. Let me explain.

Just about anyone who knows our family will have heard us talk about Aunty Leanne, Unca Steve, Sarah and Nixy. Sarah was born the day before Georgia in 2003 and the girls were humidicrib buddies in hospital. Leanne and I got to know each other over breast pumps......as you do. And Steve and Luke used to pull night shifts together doing late tube feeds to the tiny sub 5lb girls.

This wonderful family supported us then when Georgia wasn't doing so well (yes Georgia, breathing is NOT OPTIONAL), through her PDA (heart thingy) diagnosis and treatment, through her non-feeding and reflux issues and have had their arms firmly wrapped around us and been looking after us every step of the way since. It is not only an honour to know them but we are Blessed to call them friends.

Leanne, Steve + their munchkins had to move to Canberra with Steve's work in 2006 :( We waited some dreadfully short period (less than 3 weeks???) before landing on their doorstep for a visit. Whilst we were there, Steve announced he'd resigned his job and was going to be a commercial airline pilot. Leanne and I thought he was joking. He wasn't. And some comment was made way back then about how we'd have to go down to the airport one day and welcome him home off a flight.

Well it has taken 3-1/2 years but today we did it. Leanne, Sarah and Nixy, the four of us, a WELCOME HOME banner, a few helium balloons (that didn't make it through airport security but were rolled out later in the day) and smiles wide enough to make anyone think that Steve had flown around the world or so greeted Steve when he landed back from a 6 hour commuter hop up to Cairns and back.

I really don't know who was more excited. The children? The big girls trotting through the airport trying to get a clear view of planes landing? Luke felt so sorry for Steve with all the fuss we were making. But why not I say........if you've waited 3-1/2 years to be able to wave at the guy in the cockpit and have him wave back (after the plane had safely stopped and everything was shut down of course.....safety first!) then it's a fuss in order? I think so.

After our airport sojourn, we enjoyed a beautiful lunch at Portside Wharf whilst the rather huge 'Pacific Dawn' cruise liner was in port. The tired munchkins behaved way better than I could have asked and we had a truly wonderful day.

No matter what we do, no matter where we go, we absolutely love the company of these guys. We are extraordinarily fortunate to have such marvellous friends who are beautiful - both on the outside but more importantly on the inside too.....and it is what is on the inside that counts :)

The Christmas card for 2009

Since Georgia's arrival in 2003, I've been meaning to get a Christmas card printed. And as each Christmas has come and gone and I've emailed out messages saying 'Yet again this year I meant to get a Christmas card done but I didn't get to it'. But this year was different. I DID IT! One small step for a Mum!!

The photos were taken in early November but then Luke and I didn't let the photographer know which images we wanted until a few weeks later. And then the photographer took two weeks to get the digital images back to us. By then it was early December.

We knew we wouldn't get the cards in a hurry (yes, the company offered 50% off express shipping THE DAY AFTER I placed the order with 'normal' shipping - don't you HATE that???) so they weren't Christmas cards but instead Happy New Year cards.

Miracle of miracles, they did make it here by 22 December so some special folk did get them by December 23 or 24.........my cause in no way being helped by the postal delivery strike (Ba Humbug!).

Most of the cards were emailed out. Not as good as getting a 'real' card I know but hopefully better than nothing.

Note to self for 2010......start the process earlier? choose images more quickly? find a local printer who can do a 3 pic card (impossible this year but maybe not next year)?

Whatever happens, at least we've been able to send out a 'Holiday' card AT LEAST ONCE IN OUR LIVES :)

Happy Christmas.....and Georgia meets Lulu the cat!

It's been a lovely day here. After an 11pm into bed last night, I did a Santa at 1.14am. I heard rain on our roof (always welcome in drought stricken Queensland) and realised the attic window was open. So out of bed, down came the attic ladder, up into the attic, close the window and just like Santa, down the ladder in the early hours of the morning. My physique (or lack thereof) parellels Santa so all I was missing was the beard and red outfit :)

Ethan woke up at 5am. I kept him quiet until Georgia emerged just before 6am. She woke Luke up and then the present opening swung into action. It was only half an hour from start to finish but the munchkins enjoyed it.

We'd bought Georgia and Ethan an Aquadoodle mat each. Ethan opened the one marked for Georgia. So knowing Georgia can't read, or so we thought, we gave her the one marked to Ethan. Wrong. She looked at the label on the wrapping marked ETHAN and said 'That's Ethan's name'. What a gift that was! Our girl able to recognise letters, recognise a word and know it wasn't for her despite us nodding crazily that it was hers. Way to go Georgia!

Luke and the munchkins went for a swim as there were new swimmers and new pool toys to try out. I went back to bed and gift of the gifts.....I slept until nearly 9.45am. Marvellous!

Mum and Dad (aka Grandma & Grandpa aka GM & GP) arrived with gifts for a present opening session. They had bought Georgia a Fur Real Cat called "Lulu" as Georgia LOVES all things feline. Enter Georgia's hypersensitive hearing. Despite all of us babbling away, Georgia heard the cat meowing through the packaging. And here's how Georgia got to meet Lulu:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=123964&id=750294732&l=4d22606c22

Now that Lulu is out of the box, we've found the OFF switch and Lulu has a 'sleep' when we need to be devoid of incessant meowing :) Lulu has been a BIG hit with both Georgia and Ethan.

Aunty Margaret (aka MMT) joined the craziness mid-morning and gave Georgia a ballet 'lesson'. Georgia demonstrated she has my grace (think elephant or hippo......in no way gracious and elegant) but despite having no co-ordination or style, she giggled and laughed all the way through her 'lesson'. Very precious.

MMT then took Georgia for a spin in the new black Mercedes convertible. I should have taken pics. Georgia was very at home in the passengers seat and would have quite happily done a far longer drive than just around the block.

Mum, Dad and MMT left for lunch at Everton Park and we four were left to have afternoon snoozes, another swim and then our seafood dinner. What a lovely, lovely day.

Happy Christmas one and all.

'Twas the night before Christmas......

' Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, no one was stirring.....not even Ethan the insomniac! But I'm sure he'll be up and raring to go about 5am in the morning.

Santa has 'been' and this elf and her elf helper are absolutely tired out.

Happy Christmas one and all.

I feel SPECIAL

Sometimes small things can be SO SPECIAL. And no, on this occasion, I'm not talking about diamonds or Tiffany boxes.

I'm talking about an exquisitely handmade Christmas card. And if I was a very good blogger I would have photographed it and uploaded the photo but it is late, I'm tired so you'll just have to trust me that is gorgeous.

It arrived in our letterbox, and that is no mean feat considering the current postal strikes, all the way from a snowy spot on the West Coast of the USA.

So it was handmade, someone was organised enough to post it WEEKS ago and both of those things are amazing but it was the words that were SO SPECIAL. And I hope the author of them won't mind but I just have to share.....

"I screwed up on your blog somehow and then lost it so haven't kept up. I miss your emails!"

She lost my blog link. Oui! How could that be anything other than a national emergency?? And then the card continues.....

"I miss you so much and wish, as always, we lived closer. The years seem to fly by, but you have remained a constant in my life. Thank you, friend."

And I cried. And not just teared up but really cried. Let it all out and howled. Those three little sentences made me feel SO SPECIAL. I haven't emailed the dear sweet author of those words anywhere near as much as I should have, I haven't picked up the phone very often to say hello, I haven't jumped on a plane and gone to visit (not that I wouldn't LOVE to!) but despite my infrequent contact and when she does hear from me, my mutterings and blabbing is always so 'kid-centric', the author made me feel like I've made a difference.

In the world of suburbia, it is hard to feel like you are making a difference. It's like Groundhog Day - same stuff, different day. Same bag packing, lunch making, grocery shopping, dropping off/picking up, attempting to put something edible on the dinner table, bit of work thrown in for good measure, screaming munchkins and general all round perpetual fatigue. But despite that, those few little words made me feel ten feet tall.

To the sweet author of those words - THANK YOU! You reminded me that since 1995, you and I have covered a lot in life 'together' despite for the most of it being half the planet apart. And yet after all that has been thrown at both of us emotionally, medically, financially and in every other way possible, we can both be so grateful for what we've got and where we are. Thank you for making me feel SPECIAL and for being so SPECIAL to me. Love you 'girl'! M x

MEGA box unwrapping

There are some people in life that you are Blessed to know. And not only know but to call friends. The fact that they live on the East Coast of the USA and we are in Australia doesn't stop the friendship.....emails, photo calls, photos posted on Facebook for them to see AND them flying all the way here in 2007 to spend a MARVELLOUS few weeks with us means that the distance doesn't seem so far.

Ok, it does seem FAR. I'd love them to be able to sit here with us and watch our children gleely unwrapping the gifts they've thoughtfully chosen, lovingly wrapped and sent all this way. But since the Pacific Ocean, and most of the continental USA is between us and them, here are the pics I take for them so they can see, blow by blow, our children loving their Christmas presents from 'Birginia Beach'.

We love you Anne and Al! May 2010 be the year we can hug you both - in person.

See the pics at:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=122126&id=750294732&l=cc16bc5de8

Wiggles concert - Sunday 13 December 2009

This morning we went to the 10am concert of The Wiggles at Boondall. It was rather warm (think HOT) getting from the car, through the BIG carpark to the stadium. Inside it was noisy which tends to stress Georgia right out. BUT, look at her smile in the photo above. She started off the concert with her ear muffs on but grew in confidence, removed them and this was the smile I got when I asked her if she was having fun.

We got through the concert this year without losing Ethan. Last year he had to be removed from UNDER the stage by Security. This year he had a tantrum mid-show but compared to the foot race we had chasing him around the stadium last year, that was a piece of cake.

To see all the pics, follow the link:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=120949&id=750294732&l=4bcfd007b8

Peek and enjoy!

Pictures from the photo shoot

As someone who loves reading blogs, I should be more diligent in updating my own. But I've learned in the last 6-1/2 years, should is a word that I should not use.

So here I am after another 4 week blog absence. Can I blame Ethan for that? His waking up at 4.22am, 4.34am and other pre-5am times doesn't impress me at all. But it means I HAVE to get to bed at a sensible hour, when I'd rather be blogging, so I am at least semi-conscious when he starts unpacking our pantry to find cereal of a morning. Would that be cereal to eat? Not likely. Cereal to spread over the kitchen floor. But more about that and his other culinary explorations at another time.

The munchkins were put through their paces at a photo shoot in November. The plan was to have photos ready for a Christmas card. That probably isn't going to happen despite me wrestling with card software tonight for approaching 2 hours. Grrr. Anyway, here's the link to the album of pics that the photographer managed to snap:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=119834&id=750294732&l=032c9c49f4

It was hot, Ethan doesn't stay still for anything or anybody, Georgia wasn't impressed by the whole set up but at least she was partially co-operative for some of the time. Really it is quite remarkable that there ended up being any useful images at all.

Peek and enjoy!

Bye Mummy! I'm off to the airport!

Georgia is the product of parents who love to travel. Any excuse to fly somewhere and we are there. So it bemused me no end tonight when a voice floated down the hallway 'Bye Mummy! I'm off to the airport'. I came around the corner to find Georgia with one of her play handbags over her shoulder, her trolley case in hand and she was ready to roll. Thank goodness her passport is kept under lock and key otherwise goodness knows what ideas she could get. Got to love a girl who is ready to travel.....even if she is wearing pyjamas!

Pictures from Ethan's 3rd birthday party

are available at:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=107064&id=750294732&l=687d41a2e5

If that doesn't work, let me know. Hope you enjoy the pics as much as we enjoyed celebrating our Little Man!

Ethan's Angels

Since Ethan's arrival into the world nearly 3 years ago, our family has been Blessed with wonderful helpers. These girls (aka nannies aka ANGELS) have saved all of us from sleep deprivation, bored children and domestic disasters of all types and kinds. Thanks ANGELS.

And where are the angels this weekend rather than being here celebrating Ethan's big day? Tenai's in Sydney for the weekend (she will forever remain Ethan's first love), Melissa's in Coffs Harbour on holidays, Autumn is back living in New York, Aurelie is currently living in Hong Kong and Saint Sawah (known to the world as Sarah but to Ethan as SaWah) is in Emerald this weekend. Don't worry girls, we'll eat a cupcake or two on your behalf!

p.s. Pictures above have loaded in reverse order of timing. The beautiful girls are St Sawah, Aurelie, Autumn and Tenai.

p.s. Melissa, why can't I find a picture of you with either of the munchkins?????

Old, ancient and positively archaic....

Two things happened today to remind me that I'm screaming towards 40. Yes, come August 2010, the 40 milestone will be something else I can mark off my 'To Do List'.

Thing 1 - We were at a Max and Milly concert this morning. The children loved it they sat there MUTE for 45 minutes. A little dancing from Ethan but no taking her eyes off the stage for 'The Big G'. She looked like she was studying it all very intently. Back to the story.....in the line outside before the performance, I looked at the guy in front of me and realised it was someone I went to University with. I said Hi, he looked at me intently and then said 'I remember. But c'mon Michelle, it was over 20 years ago!'. We graduated at the end of 1999. So in my Accounting opinion, that is not yet 20 years. But wow, 20 years? Gee it sounds like a long time ago.

Thing 2 - Georgia just can't get her brain around the fact that there is no button in Daddy's car that can make the windows go down. How do you explain to a 6 year old the concept of car windows that have to be WOUND down? No buttons to push, no parental help possible from the driver's seat? I felt like an absolute fossil chirping away saying 'When I was a little girl not only did we have to WIND down the car windows with the handle, we had no AIRCON either'. I felt one step up from the Flinstone's who used to have to run the car along with their feet!

All of this and I'm not yet 40!

Walking

Yesterday I realised that this weekend, Ethan, is two years and 50 weeks old. So? Two years and 50 weeks is one of the most magical numbers in my life.

That is the age Georgia was when she walked for the first time. Georgia, the girl that we were told by so many esteemed medicos 'should walk' or that 'probably would walk'. And yes, based on her ever so slow development the signs were that she was going to walk. But until she did it, part of me didn't believe a word they said. I didn't want should walk, I wanted could walk and I wanted it right there and then.



So at age 2 years and 50 weeks, Georgia walked. She walked off a plane and all but ran into the arms of my Mum. I can see it in my mind as if it were yesterday. And two weeks later for her third birthday, she ran. She told us that her friend Jackson was running so she did too. Talk about an answer to prayer.

So here I was reflecting this weekend at how long Ethan has been walking at his current age of 2 years and 50 weeks all the while thinking how truly Blessed our family was that Georgia won the 'walking lottery' and God gave her the skills to walk. And then I found it.



Georgia's first disability parking permit. And its mate from 2007 too. Shoved in the glovebox of our car. And as I picked them up today and reflected on the 'walking lottery' I said a huge thank you to God for the gift of movement, a huge thank you to Georgia's OT and physio from those not to fun days who not only helped her walk but emotionally supported me while on the rollercoaster of having a child who couldn't walk, to friends and family who looked after us until Georgia's 'walking lottery' numbers came up. And after I realised I was sitting mentally thanking just about everyone that I'd ever crossed paths with I realised I was so just grateful. Grateful to everyone for everything.



Beside the pic of Georgia's disability parking permit is a picture of Georgia I took last week. She was hanging, upside down, from a piece of play equipment at Ethan's kindergarten. She'd got herself up there and she got herself back down too.



Her undies cover up her pull-ups so don't get too excited as we are still waiting for her numbers to come up in the 'toileting lottery'. But I have learned that God has a plan and I have to be patient and wait. He'll show me that He will send her the jackpot for that when He's good and ready. And in the meantime all I can do is be grateful and reflect on just how lucky we truly are :)

Three months without mutterings?

I am sooooooooo sorry dear blog readers for THREE + months without mutterings. What is the world coming to? I deeply and profusely apologise and would love to vow that it will never happen again. But who knows what the rollercoaster of life holds so instead I'll say that I'll TRY and ensure it doesn't happen again. Hope that means all is forgiven?

So what has been happening in our world since June? Wow that seems sooooooooo long ago.

There was supposed to be a small period recovery after Georgia's party but that didn't happen as tickets decided to get busy. Not just busy but busy, busy, busy, busy. Thankfully it was just for a week or two but it was enough to hit my immunity for sixteen.

At the same time as Georgia's party recovery + busy with tickets + being in full swing with fundraising for Georgia's school Fair + it was winter and all sorts of bugs/colds/viruses were lurking around.....and I got sick. Not just the little cough/cold/sinus infection type of thing BUT I had infected just about everything. Pick a point above my navel and whatever body part you choose, it had something wrong with it.

I think the list ended up being something like chest infection, throat infection, double ear infection, sinus infection/s (why have just one when you can clear up one and get another??), conjunctivis and I'm sure there was more but the list seems mighty long enough so I'll leave it at that.

My ears were so painful that when I was on course three of anti-biotics, I went to my Doctor and asked her to perforate my ear drum so I could equalise my ears, stop the pain, smell and taste. She told me to wait a week, gave me stronger meds, some acupuncture, I went and had a massage, lots of steam inhalation (hate inhalations with a passion!) and POP, a few days later my ears started to clear. Note for future reference, acupuncture into the area of clogged sinuses doesn't tickle BUT I'm sure it helped the healing process.

August was lost in a blur of trying to get better and finalising the silent auction for the Oakleigh State School Fair.

September 5 was Fair Day and after it rained up until 7.50am, it cleared into a magnificently sunny day. The silent auction and art union that I co-convened made $22 500 profit of the $60 000 Fair profits. As the profit from the Fair, in total, last year was only about $30 000, to see it double this year left a lot of smiling faces at Oakleigh. A big thank you to my support team who helped me out so I could fundraise through May, June, July and August :) You know who you are.

The last two weeks of September have been school holidays. The lack of routine during holidays is lovely. But more on that another night.

In the meantime there is something I have to share so I'll do that now and will get back to mutterings another time.

Georgia's Party - The birthday girl

What a marvellous day Miss G had. How often can you get to slide whilst still in PJ's?

















Bash a pinata with a whole line up of people BEHIND you?





Get to play duck, duck goose and slide in a purple fairy dress.

And just have a ball?

Happy 6th birthday Princess G!

Georgia's Party - The cake!

Georgia's 6th birthday cake was a cupcake tower comprising 50 pink and purple cupcakes from the truly amazing, lovely, talented and very generous Kellie at Cupcakes by K - http://www.cupcakesbyk.com.au/

There were G's, 6's, hearts, flowers, pussy cats, stars......plus 20 gift boxed cupcakes for people to take home.

Not only did they look and smell divine but most importantly, Georgia LOVED them....and in the end, that is all that really matters!

Georgia smiling widely while having Happy Birthday to her, counting through the numbers while we counted to 6 and blowing out her candles. Oh her smile brings SO much joy and happiness!

Georgia's Party - Ethan - Cheezels and cones

And who thoroughly enjoyed his big sister's party yesterday? There were Cheezels by the plate load, there were marshmallow cones, there was a bouncing castle, there were balloons....and when it all got too much and close to sleep time there was St. Sarah the Supernanny to whisk him upstairs, give him lunch, watch a DVD and put him to bed. Oh the life of Master Ethan!

Georgia's Party - Luke

Being married to a self-described Peter Pan, you know he'll enjoy anything the munchkins are into. But how much fun did he have at G's party yesterday?

He got to wield the shot that brought down the pinata and the rained the contents down on the assembled munchkins.













He made plenty of use of the bouncing castle/slide and all while clad in his favourite Tigger ice hockey jersey!

p.s. Yes, in all of these photos he's clad in his socks. We are obviously too poor to afford shoes for him :)

Georgia's party

Every year, we throw a BIG party for Georgia's birthday. This is the third year it has happened and it shows no signs of slowing down. One of these days we are going to find people who DON'T want to come....but alas G's party seems to be loved by one and all and I've been told the chances of any of our family and friends NOT turning up is about nil. I suppose that is good isn't it? Except when it comes to the guest list. Oh that is tough.

Who to invite and who we'd love to invite but simply can't fit. It is a real challenge. We have family who put in so much to help us so we can't leave them out. We live in the most amazing street on the planet. We are truly Blessed to call most of our near neighbours our dear friends. We couldn't have the extravaganza we do without them noticing the mega bouncing castle sitting in our teeny, tiny back yard!! There are many that have helped us and continue to assist on our Georgia journey that we see so infrequently that getting them here for a party is about the only time we get to see them each year. Georgia's friends from Mum's Group, daycare, kindy and school....and the list goes on and on.

We can fit 40 people here if we pack them in like sardines. So we asked Georgia who she'd like at her party and she gave us a very clear list on who she wanted to share her big day with. There were some she left out that I thought would be in...but ultimately she made the call so I direct all complaints about non-invites to her :)

I hope there is no one reading this who is mortally offended they didn't get an invite. Please be reassured that it is not that we don't care - far from it - it is just that we are very restricted by space so we had to draw the line somewhere. Thanks for your understanding!

Teeth and hair

Today Georgia came home from school with one of her front teeth.....it was sticky-taped to a piece of pink cardboard.

Please see pic of Georgia's new smile at left :)

That is tooth #3 to go but the first one that we've actually been able to get to do the Tooth Fairy thing. Note to self - put on Tooth Fairy hat after munchkin has gone to sleep.

Yesterday was haircut day for the two smallest members of our family. Georgia was incredibly well behaved during her haircut. Amazing what bribery and the promise of a 'special treat' after the hairdresser can do.

And then there was Ethan. He screamed, he yelled, he shouted, he lashed out....it was quite an entertaining performance for me (he was on my lap - think of wrestling a shouting giant squid), the staff at the hairdresser AND the hairdresser's clients. Oui!

Interestingly enough, when we got home, he was sweetness and light personified - see pic. But Georgia wouldn't pose for a post-haircut photo and was in a foul mood.

If it is not one, it's the other :)

Something a bit different.....a post about ME!

This blog is very munchkin-centric, and particularly Georgia-centric, but that is a reflection of my life. But for once, I'm going to do a post about ME.

Way back last century, when I was a traveller who made her way around the world with suitcase, overnight bag AND a handbag in tow (travel light? moi? never!), I visited a few countries. If I had 'spare' time in my life, I could sit down to work out how many but to save time, let's say about 30+ countries. Yes, lots of stamps in the passport, lots of postcards home from exotic destinations and lots of praying from my Mum that I would be safe, well and warm.

I recently read a list of the world's 10 greatest cathedrals and I was exceedingly chuffed to say I've set foot in, and where possible, climbed by the bell towers/turrets/whatever high point was on offer, of them. The list is:

1. Notre-Dame, Paris, France
2. Saint-Chapelle, Paris
3. Notre-Dame, Reims
4. Chartres Cathedral
5. Dom, Cologne, Germany
6. St Stephen's Dom, Vienna, Austria
7. Duomo, Milan, Italy.....remains the ONLY place in the world where I've walked on the roof...literally....on the tiles.
8. York Minster, York, England.
9. Salisbury Cathedral, Salisbury.

10. Seville Cathedral, Seville, Spain. I've been to Barcelona (didn't like it one bit) but not to Seville so this is the only one of the top ten that I haven't visited.

'Been there. Done that!' And don't those days seem so long ago when compared to life now?

Photography by a munchkin

Guess who found my camera when I wasn't looking? And managed to turn it on and take some pictures before I discovered the budding photographer in action?

I think the lime green PJ pants and foot at left might give a reasonable hint.

Yes, Miss Georgia decided to test out my camera and oh she had fun. None of this toy camera business for her. A nice Canon IXUS with a 3" viewing screen thank you very much :)

We thought pic 1, 4 and 5 showed particular artistic flair!
Fingers anyone? With a nice table and chairs overlooking the Beach visible through the chairs.














A finger all but covering the lens.













How great is this for a picture by a 5 year old? Amazing how good the view from our 'weekender' at the Beach was.












The camera angled up we presume? This was the upper floors of the building we were staying in.

What a hoot!

The Big Boy Bed

Long time between blog posts. Sorry! There is so much I'd love to have had time to blog about. Maybe I'll get 'there' (where is there?) one day.

But then somethings happen that everything just has to stop and the blog must be updated. And this is one of those things.......Ethan moving from his low to the ground toddler bed into his 'big boy bed'.

Luke and I decided this afternoon that tonight was going to be THE night for Ethan to give THE big boy bed (TBBB) a try out.

So, train pillowslip on the pillow, train quilt on the bed, his usual array of toys moved over to TBBB to keep him company. And the little man himself was very keen on the idea.

Here's the before and after bottle shots. Here's hoping he stays in bed until it's daylight. Now that would be an event worth blogging about!

It's a beautiful night to be a Queenslander

QLD 28 vs NSW 18.

Enough said :)

Thursdays and Fridays

Just about everything 'special' at Georgia's school happens on Thursday or Friday mornings....when I'm at Red Hill and not able to attend :(

These pics were taken by the Mum of one of G's classmates (thanks Libby!!) so I could see what happened at the Mother's Day morning tea.

They show G and Grandma looking at the wall of Prep A art. The lower pic is G with her painting. Notice how hers is rather abstract while those of her classmates are of 'formed objects'?

Considering she could hardly draw a mark on a page two years ago, what an achievement!!

This week on Thursday is Under Eight's Day at school. Luke has taken the day off to attend the festivities.

Next Thursday at school is the Sports Day.

Thank goodness the walkathon is on Sunday 14th and I'll be able to attend!

The gorgeous girls

It's Sunday night and another week has flown by. Last week the teacher's strike lost me my Tuesday, Wednesday after reading at school with G I slipped over to Rainesforest at Indooroopilly for a massage (divine!) but got caught amongst the flood frenzy on the way home (slow trip with lots of turning around due to roads closed thanks to water, downed power lines, a a landslide....it really was all happening!) and Thursday/Friday were work days at Red Hill. Where does time fly when you are running in what feels like ever decreasing circles?

In amongst all of that, I managed to snap the pic at left on Friday morning. I think it should be titled GORGEOUS GIRLS as it is our Precious Princess G giving an 'I WUV YOU GRANDMA!' hug to my darling Mum. Precious.

So what if I didn't get all I needed to done. There's always another week.

But if nothing else last week, I captured a special moment between TWO GORGEOUS GIRLS and I really think that is all that matters :) Love you gorgeous girls xx

It's been raining....and raining....and raining some more!

The Mirrabooka Road bridge at the corner of Acacia Drive in Ashgrove.

I approached it from the other side earlier in the afternoon, having no idea that Ithaca Creek has burst its banks. I was rather surprised - to say the least - to find the road under and water powering over the bridge.






More and more and more water at Ashgrove. Since when do we live in a riverfront suburb?












Looking down towards Woolcock Park at Red Hill. I should have guessed something was not right by the quantity of water pump hoses that were running out into the gutter from homes.

Again, I drove down Kenwyn Road having NO idea about the creek level and came to a screeching halt when I saw the road under water in front of me.





Ithaca Creek taking over Kenwyn Road at Red Hill. Lots and lots and lots of water.

We have had 410 mm (or 41cm or 16.5 inches) of rain in about 48 hours. More is forecast for tomorrow. Means it'll be another day where Georgia wears her gumboots to school!