Friday Faves!

#1 Holidays. I think the kids are all just loving being away from Mundubbera! And spending as much time as humanly possible at the beach!

So relaxing and amazingly gorgeous! We even squeezed in a quick beach trip before the big dust storms descended upon us on Wednesday! We could see it coming though..very cool :)

They are busily honing their sand castle building skills:)

We are going to the beach at about 8:30 every morning and are home by about 10, so out of the sun at the ouchy part:) The only cloud on our horizon is that Daddy isn't with us to enjoy the sun sand and surf. The kids have been writing to him every day though and posting him letters, cards and postcards!


#2 I am loving the reusable calico shopping bags you can buy at Target. I think it is great that they have done away with plastic bags!

#3 having family around. It seems to somehow take some of the pressure off. Its so very very nice to have other people around the kids who adore them. They just love hanging out with their aunts and uncles...being the only children on my side of the family helps too LOL

Sam decided that he wanted to learn guitar (random I know) so my brother let him have a turn on his guitar...

*sniff* I don't ever want to go home!


#4 Loving the My Minds Eye "Oooh La La" paper kits. Both the female

And the male kits!

#5 Ahhhhh Target. My happy place! I just looove shopping at Target...although I have a bad habit of going shopping and then whatever I buy goes on special the very next day *sigh*

Friday Faves!

Woohoo! Its FRIDAY!!!! And starting today I am off work for TWO WEEKS!!!
#1 is my Farm Town Mansion! I finally finally got one! #2 Mick's 'gallstone situation' has encouraged me to explore lots of new ways of cooking low fat. One of our whole family's new faves is fish! I have always been a little scared of cooking fish as I had no clue how to prepare it...but its so quick and easy...I wrap it in foil with onion, garlic and lemon and its done in no time at all! The kids are LOVING it!

#3 I just love coming home. I love just being here, and hibernating:)

#4 Spring Cleaning! I have been a cleaning fool the past few weeks. Everything has been scrubbed and washed and wiped down. I don't actually enjoy the process, so much as the results!

#5 School holidays...in particular school holidays which I also have as holidays meaning no stressing about babysitters whilst I work :) Just some wonderful time hanging out with my favourite people!

Thanks for stopping by!

Just pardon me for a moment....

Whilst I have a proud mummy moment....

Natalie brought home her NAPLAN (National Assessment Program-Literacy and Numeracy) report today.
This diagram/graph thingy shows an example of what the results may look like...The arrow points to to National average for year 3 students. The big black dot is where the individual child lies....
Now my years of teaching kind of made me realise that these standardized tests kind of suck. I know. Certain kids are going to do well on these tests. Its just the way that these tests are written/conducted/set up. I know all this in THEORY, however I have never been the proud mummy holding her daughters incredible results in her hands....

Look! Each dot is WAY above the National average *sniff*

And she has two that are sitting in this section...

Which means....

(if a students result is here it means the result is well above the expected level of achievement for Year 3 students)

yeah, I am pretty much claiming that it is all my good genes;)

Lets Get Shabby #3

This month's criteria over at Lets Get Shabby was to create a LO that was predominantly white/off white with one other accent colour.

I was feeling kind of uninspired about the LO until I got my newest order from Snapfish in the mail and these sparkly new Thickers!

My Chari Beth, so so beautiful....

Thanks for stopping by!

An ode to the birthday boy

He spent most of today receiving calls and licking the beaters...both very important jobs for a young man of 5 ;) When he wasn't dealing with his adoring public, he was playing with his new birthday toys...

This year was ALL about the Star Wars Clone Wars toys. *sigh* I have NO clue what any of it even is. I know Darth Vader, but he isn't anything to do with this series...

And my youngest two...

Charlotte spent yesterday evening - or 2 minutes of it at least - perfecting an ode to her favourite brother....
(so cute Natalie and Charlotte took it in turns to entertain and distract Sam whilst they created birthday cards for him - they wanted it to be a surprise...sometimes being a mummy to more than one child just warms your heart)

To Sam

You fill my heart with love

Your eyes are light brown

I look at you

You make me smile

I don't know about you, but this makes ME smile!

My baby

...turns 5 tomorrow.

5 years since this gorgeous little bundle was laid in my arms. He was 2 weeks overdue, but made up for that by only taking an hour to arrive once he actually 'started'...I had to be induced he was so very very cozy in there. And from my first contraction, to holding him, took an hour. No pushing. He just arrived. Serene and gorgeous.

And now here he is....

A bundle of fun....of noise, songs and of games...

Mischief and love...he likes to hold my hand wherever we walk together. He tells me he loves me constantly (but he doesn't want to marry me...he told me this, just in case I was feeling uncomfortable LOL)

His favourite activity is to turn every single empty box and container in the house into a tank.

He is not a fan of 'venchtables' and likes to get a 'Kindy Surprise' when we do the groceries. We make ourselves feel better about this by telling ourselves it's because he is so helpful and puts the shopping trolley away. Really its cause I am a sucker!

And, he seriously NEVER stops talking!

I just can't believe that these 5 years have gone by so fast. It feels like only yesterday we were impatiently waiting, waiting, waiting for him to arrive.

Happy birthday Sammy...may all your dreams come true!

Happy Mail!

I got a pizza box today...and inside was this mag.... And inside the mag was this....

Such a buzz!!! I'll have to tell me little bro and SIL that they are now in print!!!

Feels like ages ago I sent this away!!!

Sunday Scrapping!

For the first time in a few weeks, I had my hubby home all weekend! So nice:) This morning him and the kids decided to go for a bush adventure, and leave mummy home alone (God bless that man..it has been a few weeks since I have had ANY alone time LOL)

So while they were gone I cleaned a little, and then scrapped a little...

Just cause... And some cards with the scraps...this is actually for one little friend of Sam's whose birthday is next week...but as I can't remember if her name starts with a 'k' or a 'c' I had to make two LOL

Have a great week lovely friends!

Friday Faves!

Yikes another week closer to Christmas (shhh...I am in DEEP denial LOL)

#1 I found this website somehow, and have fallen in love with their gorgeous gorgeous dolls. I am hoping that Santa will bring me a custom doll for Christmas...but with $155US price tag, I think I am better off waiting for my lotto win...

I mean seriously...could these BE any cuter??? Look at their little faces...and their hair!!!!

#2 Eclipse mints. I have a 'thing' for bad smells ie I don't like them. On me or anyone around me. Whilst I can manage to keep my own stinks under control, I find it a tad awkward to mention to people in passing that they stink LOL

So I am tackling my 'smell thing' from another angle...I suck on these

And the minty freshness disguises everyone else's stink and convinces me that the world is sweet smelling and wonderful;)

#3 getting an email from my sis letting me know that its is official! her name is listed on the QLD Law Society website!!! She is a really truly solicitor!

Man! Gorgeous AND smart! If she weren't so lovely I would hate her LOL

#4 My new couch.

Its like sitting on a cloud...

I think it makes the kids top 5 this week too LOL

#5 Receiving flowers from my boyfriend husband for no particular reason at all :)

I was floored when these arrived during the week. The card just said "to Kirst, I love you from Mick"

He bought them to say 'thanks' for keeping the homefires burning the past few weeks while he has been absent *sniff* he is a keeper;)

Have a great weekend all! I am off to check out the rest of my family's faves now!

You guys are awesome....

Seriously. I was feeling so lost and sad yesterday, and you all reached out and supported me. Thanks so very very much...When I posted yesterday about Neil and how we were all feeling following his death, I kind of didn't expect any replies...I was just putting down how I was feeling, but WOW...thanks so much for your comments and messages and phonecalls (mumsy!! All the way from NZ !) I feel so protected. I still feel sad, and lost and scared...but I also feel part of a lovely group of friends and community:)
You guys rule!
I just have to share what is on my screensaver every morning...(Micks' ultrasound, not mine...we are NOT pregnant!!!) Every morning it is there and every morning I change it to a cute pic of the kids....then it all begins again the next morning Yep, that is his gallbladder. And I am sure a few visitors have glanced at the computer screen, put 2 and 2 together and gotten 19 *sigh* I am waiting for the rumours to start!
That man makes me smile.

WP have started their Fashionista comp this week.....here is my example!

Does every grade 12 group of friends swear undying friendship and loyalty??? Surely they do. But then life happens and these people become strangers...

I played with the Vintage kit this month. *sigh* I adore vintagey LOs!!!
I decided to kill two birds with the one stone and complete Krissy's sketch challenge using the vintage kit!




And my soon to be 5 year old....

*sniff* I want my little bubby back!!!

Thanks for stopping by..and thanks again for your support. You guys are all sorts of awesome!

A really tough weekend...

I have been a bad bad blogger.
Our weekend was kind of sucky. Mick spent most of the weekend searching for a friend of his from work that went missing last Thursday. They found Neil's body late Saturday afternoon, but as you can imagine it was a pretty awful time. I actually am finding it hard to deal with how much it has affected me, so I cannot even begin to imagine how difficult this is for Mick and the boys, not to mention Neil's family. Neils death has really rocked the QPWS 'family'.
It has brought home to me how dangerous Mick's job can be. Neil knew that bush that he was walking in like the back of his hand. He had every piece of safety equipment available. He had followed all the safety protocols like calling in and having his staff on alert. He was checking in regularly with them. He was fit and healthy. I think I am really just feeling so so scared, and so so sad for Neil's family. Please if you could spare a prayer for Neils wife and children I am sure it would be much appreciated.
So there is a reason I haven't been around...not just sheer slackness...(although with me, slackness always plays a part!)

Friday Faves!

#1 is ice cream Splices....

Although Midori Splices are pretty darn awesome too! #2 is my mulberry tree...just starting to sprout little berries! Its so green and gorgeous :) We have tried to plant a mulberry tree in the yard of every house we live in!

#3 *sigh* suckered in by yet ANOTHER vampire series....I have started reading the House Of Night series by P.C Cast and Kirsten Cast. Sooooo enjoying it! (my disappointing story of the week? I thought I had ordered the 9th Sookie Stackhouse series and when it arrived I was CRUSHED to discovere I had order the 8th - which i already own!!!!!)
#4 I bought myself new undies this week, and I am LOVING them SICK!
#5 after our trip to Bundaberg on Tuesday and our encounters with some less than seemly public toilets (EEWW!) I am loving hand santisier!
I actually bought a bottle as a joke - I discovered that children had been licking their hands and getting drunk off of the hand sanitizer, and so one horrible day at work, I nipped off and bought a small 'shooter sized' bottle for us to share....it ended up in my handbag, and got all used up when we were in Bundaberg this week :)

So thats mine for the week! Have a great weekend!