a "beary" happy birthday ...

To Miss Livinia of course :)

Miss Liv turned 6 on the 17th of March, and I have been rather absent to blog about the whole adventure.

She was so excited, and really looking forward to her birthday party. We invited the entire kindy class, and celebrated at the local park. It was perfect.

Cupcakes, fairy bread, lollies, and sausage sanga's were the menu, with lots of water to wash it all down with. She recieved so many beautiful gifts, and the funniest was watching he open beanie kid after beanie kid - she was in HEAVEN!!! Not one doubled up - perfect.

Miss Liv is such a ray of sunshine in this house. I call her my fairy child, because she seems to float through life, always smiling and laughing and she is so so so EASY.

She loves music, singing listening and dancing to it. Quite often she has music blaring from her room regardless of the time. She is a very picky eater, with her favourite foods being peanut butter sandwiches, pancakes and strawberries.

She is an amazing reader, even though she is not quite through one term of kindy. She reads everything, and delights in learning new words. She also loves to draw, there are always piles of paper and pencils all over her room.

Tennis is the sport of choice atm, and in true Livinia fashion, she took to it like an old pro. She loves "smashes" the best followed by "volleys". She is so darn cute to watch.

We love this girl so much, our last baby, the child I prayed for two years for, my little monkey.

Love you baby girl,

Love Muma

xx

and this girl turned 9

Yep, my valentine baby turned nine. I can't beleive my little spikey haired baby girl is so grown up!

Lilliana is the quiet one in our family, you could say that she is shy, but we don't use that word in this family.

Sometimes she gets frustrated with the NOISE in this house, and people not hearing her. That's when she throws it!!! I am constantly reminding her that she does have a voice, and I want to hear it. It is pretty tricky sometimes.

Lilli loves animals, and makeup, and bling :) She mothers her sissy, and looks up to her big brother. She is thoughtfull and creative, and loves spending time on her own on her bed reading.

This girl healed my heart after losing a pregnancy. In fact she was conceived the next month! I spent her whole pregnancy worried and still greiving for the lost pregnancey, but the moment I heard her cry I knew everything was going to be ok.

Lilli is loved to the moon and back. She brings warmth and joy to us always.

Love Lisa

x

This boy turned 12

Yep, he is now a twelve year old and highschooler - and funny enough it isn't making me feel old :)

Jere loves reading (I mean obsessivly, three books at a time), soccer, computers and playstation, he is a talented drawer and he has a photographic memory - which is scary!!! He loves anything to do with history, and visiting the museums in London seriously "did it" for him. His fave movies are the Pirates of the Carribean triology, and

he asks for Nachos every night for dinner....which he doesn't get!!!!

His health has been a battle for years - since he was six. He has ongoing and lifelong kidney problems and last doctors visit we found a kidney stone! He struggles to put on weight, and we have had two "C" scares - one very very serious. Praise God that we are in the clear now.

He is his daddy's boy although they are as strong as eachother and sometimes butt heads (not literally). Jere is loved beyond measure. We are blessed to have him.

Oh and for the record - his name is really Jeremiah - which by year 4 was shortened to Jere (pronounced Jerry)

Love Lisa

x

Growing up.....

This little girl....started kindy this year.

It is amazing to see her in her uniform, all excited about the day ahead. She LOVES big school, I mean totally LOVES it. Justin picked her up from her first day (I was at work at preschool) and the first thing out of her mouth was "Daddy I love big school, thanks for letting me go". What a sweetie.

And today she can home with her first bit of homework - she was the only one who got some. They are reading words. And you would think being her mother and all, and working at a preschool I would have realised that she CAN ACTUALLY READ!!!!

I *thought* she was just "pre-reading" but um, no, the teacher has given her the first two groups of words (40 words all up) and when she knows them all she gets the third and so on....anyway. I was waiting for my big high school boy and thought I would see how she went if I showed them to her. SHE READ EVERY SINGLE WORD!!! I didn't help, or sound them out. She just could read. I thought I was going to fall over. Such a happy mummy moment.

Miss Lilli started year 3, and thankfully she is with her bestie Hayley. She couldn't be happier. He is my big girl and my bigger girl before the start of school. *love* them.

Jere started HIGH SCHOOL, when did I even get old enough to have a high school child?? I was so worried, and I could tell he was anxious (the tell tale sign was the shade of pale he was) but he was awesome, jumped out of the car and went. When Justin picked him up he had the BESTEST day ever....I was so so so so relieved. Jere continues to inform me that High School is so much better then primary. Thank goodness!!!!

I have some coolio work to share, but it is going up elsewhere first.....can't wait to show you what I have been working on.

Love Lisa

x

Welcome to January!!!

I love January :)

I love the swims at the beach and in (mums) pool

I love the end of the day when it starts to cool down, watching the kids play in the yard.

I love school holidays

I love pajama days

I love that it is my BIRTHDAY .....lol

so Christmas has come and gone, and it was quite a cruisy affair here. Which was totally lovely. Kids happy, we were happy - all good.

On a scrappy front, I have been taking a HUGE rest and just starting to get back into it all, which is very very nice. Doing projects I want, picking and choosing - very noice indeed. So no sharing layouts today, but soon, very soon :)

I am endeavouring (sp?) to do a 52 week project, nothing to complex. Just us as we are week to week. I have started taking and editing the photo's but I am WAITING EVER SO PATIENTLY (not) for my new printer .....hopefully tomorrow.... so I will share some of the pics I plan to use instead!!!

Here is the gorgous Miss Lilli - in front of a dump bin (and I so so so wish I could remember who I saw so this?? I am fairly sure it was on the front of SM......anyway whoever you are thanks for the inspiration!) WE were waiting for a new TV in the back docks of JB Hi Fi - it was hot, kids were bored, I was bored - then I spotted the bin....LOL!!!! She only stayed put for one minute, but I got the photo I wanted!!

and the girls having some seriously funny times on the trampoline with the help of a sprinkler - yep we don't have water restrictions here - though after living on the coast for years on level 4 restrictions I still feel very naughty doing this - so I don't do it very often.

Miss Lilli again, she decided a few days ago she wanted to sew....actually she had been badgering me for WEEKS, MONTHS even.....and today I caved in LOL. She wanted to do a stitchery (like I am currently working on) and thankfully her nanna gave me a whole heap of old transfers and we found an easy one and got to work - so proud of her patience!!!

Miss Liv, helping herself to three weatbix covered in sugar!! You should have seen my bench, she is so proud of herself though. As a side note she also made herself three peanut butter sanga's.

And Mr Jere, who hates his photo taken because of his teeth ( that makes my heart sad - we will be getting braces but his mouth is not ready yet) doing what he loves - computer time!!

anyway - it is a start..... lets hope I can keep it up!

Love Lisa

x

Little bits of my home........

Finally a few images of little nooks in my home.....

we bought a very old home almost 18 months ago now, with the intention of "doing it up"... it has been slow slow going. I am finally starting to get a little excited. We have so much to go, but these few nooks of my home, are giving me hope :)

Anyone who knows me, knows I love antiques and vintage styles. Always have. Even before they became fashionable. But I like a mix of stuff, not just one style or era, so my style is certainly ecclectic :) Bit like me I guess!!! Oh and I LOVE RED!!!!

Here is my foyer ( I LOVE that old homes have foyers) - I bought a vintage table cloth for $2 (which was stained) and cut out a couple of good bits and frames them with emroidery hoops.

The Tapestry of the two girls (which reminded me of my girls) I picked up for $10 !!!! the frame alone would have cost $100 plus - so happy about that purchase!! and the tapestry sitting on the floor my nanna made for me YEARS ago, and I have neer found a place for it....but it goes so well with the reds now.

Here is our dinning room - yep a RED chandlelier!! I wanted this when it was full price - but wait a few months and I got it for 1/3 the asking price originally!!! and our gorgeous dining table, was bought last year at the easter show, towards the end of the show, and the man who makes them just didn't want to truck it back to Melboure - another amazing bargain :)

This buffet was one of the first peices of furniture Justin and I bought new - we loved it, it was that yellow pine colour, and for years it has sat in our garage. A few weeks ago I found some white paint gave it two coats, them scrubbed it back, added some new handles and I LOVE it again.

A gorgeous antique set of kitchen scales I bought on ebay

Oh and o course I need a red polka dot apron!!! ROFL

And some framed artwork from my clever kiddies....and a red 70's rotary phone (found on ebay) and a typewrited (which the kids love and it still works) found in the local opshop for $5. Bargain!!!!



So that is just the start, a few of the bits of my home that I adore!

Love Lisa

xx

Why oh Why ???

Does this happen when I am trying ot get a couple of decent photo's of the Kids for Christmas??

I mean how hard is it to either smile, or look natural?? Seriously what is the world coming too ;) Love that they have so much fun together, they play, and tease and love....makes my heart happy really.

I will be back soon with a couple of photo's of my seriously wonky gingerbread house, and some picks of what we have been up to in our home.

Love Lisa

x

Been home for ages!!!!

and no blogging!!

sorry, life has been so hectic.

Jere had his high school orientation, and Liv her kindy one. How on earth I managed to have two children starting such huge milestones in the same year in the same week, is beyond me!!!

I am really looking to the "big kids" finishing school in a week, so I don't have to worry about lunches, and uniforms and just concentrate on having some fun with the kids and resting myself.

My RA has gone insane over the last few months, and I am under a new specialist - but it will be a long few months till I qualify for the new super dooper injections. They cost $1700 per jab!!! which I will need every 2 weeks, but if I jump through all the hoops the govt want me too, they will only be $30 per jab - a huge difference and an affordale difference. Yesterday my new doc gave me cortisone injections into my shoulder joints. Which wasn't so bad at the time, but I appear to be part of the small number of people who it makes their joints worse for a day or two - it is so so so so BAD!!! anyway hopefully it will improve tomorrow!!!

Onto some scrappy goodness!!! here is a layout I did for a challenge over at scraptherapy, inspired by the sensational Miss Belinda V.........I so love her work, and she is the most lovely girl ( and might I add enjoys a glass of chardy)

anyway, I am now waffling....

so I am going to go :)

Love Lisa

Shanghai and the search for clean air?????

That was the first thing that I noticed as we landed in Shanghai, where the heck was the sky???

The above piccy is a great example, this is almost Midday and it is a piccy at "The Bund" an old part of town with beautiful old French Buildings, can you see the far bank?? Not really?? It is only about 400m wide (approx) and you had to squint to see it!

I was expecting it to perhaps be a little smoggy in the morning, but not all day, it's kinda like you are living in low grey cloud........all the time. Feels weird. We have Miss Liv's asthma stuff here and she is on a preventative, but we have been praying like mad she wouldn't have an attack, Lord knows I don't want to see the inside of a Chinese Hospital (Hiya Dad!). She does have a croaky throat, but I am not sure wether that is from the pool or the polution???

and the PEOPLE..........thousands and thousands of them, everywhere. In cars, on motorbikes, push bikes, on foot - crazy. The streets are mad, with honking horns and scary driving. We even managed to witness an accident involving two motorbikes!! EEEEKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!

The kids have taken it all in their stride, not bothered by the noise and the crowds, battling the streets no problems at all. We are so very proud of them. They have also learnt how to say "no no" when someone asks them if they want to buy something! LOL

They are all little stars here, particularly Miss Liv with her blonde hair and blue eyes, she waves and says hello, and smiles for the camera - too funny really. She keeps saying that she is "very special" in China.

The above is a piccy from out hotel at night, we are up lovely and high, and as you can see even late the traffic doesn't stop!

and Below are piccy's of both the Kids and J and I at "the bund"............ We have a thing anout Lions I reckon....

Today is our last full day here (we leave tomorrow around 5pm) and so we are going to head back to Nanjing Road for some more shopping and bargaining......kids even know how to say "cheapa you give for cheapa" Too Funny!!!!

Love Lisa

Bustin' a Move

This is what happens when you let Livinia loose on London!!!!!

We had been having a spot of breaky at Kris and Sea's fave cafe, and I took the kids out while Justin paid the bill............

and this is what Liv did (with encouragement from her Sis that people may throw money at her!). I was hysterical with laughter, and she was most perturbed that we stoped her and didn't get a couple of pounds! What am I going to do with this child????

She is wearing her brothers cap, and we nicknamed her "axl" after this performance, as that is what her hair looked like - the music style (singing) of choice was more Hip Hop!!!

OMG!!!!!! We are a family of crazy people!

Love Lisa

x

More Museums........

Our kids just love love love museums...........

doesn't matter what kind, they just LOVE them

We visited the natural history museam a couple of days ago, they just adored it especially the dinosoar exhibit and the "stuffed animals" LOL!!!!

We have also visited the science museu which was really great - no photo's from that though, I was getting a little sick of carrying my camera everywhere - and just didn't feel like the pressure of taking photo's really!

The kids (and us) are doin really well, and loving everything.......the kids are missing having a backyard though, and the girls tend to wander outside barefooted and in T-shirts to "play" in a very small courtyard. Funny Things. We went to a little cutie place called Chiswick and stopped in a churches' grounds for a bit of a rest and a sanga, and they took off like they were crazy, running, chasing, enjoying the space. Funny.

Justin has booked us into hotel on tuesday (just him and me) in the heart of London and also booked us into one of Gordon Ramsey's Restaurants - I can't wait!!!!!

Till next time!

Lisa

x

more adventures

I am so behind in keeping everyone up to date with what we are doing here in England, sorry :)

Here are a few piccy's to keep you going.....kiddies in Trafalgar (SP?) Square...this has been one of Jere's fave things.....He was so looking forward to seeing the statue of Nelson (Such his Daddy's boy).

We have had a few days "down time" cause we are all tired! I just needed a day to blob so my joints would start playing nice, and poor Jere and Justin got a tummy bug, all good now though.

Tomorrow we are heading to So -Ho and to pick up some tickets to a couple of musicals - should be fun.

Love Lisa

x

Big Days

That's what we seem to be having.................walking, exploring,walking!!!

Enjoying local parks -Lilli is a huge fan of the "round a bout" something that we don't see much of here in Aus. The faster the better :)

So we have visited Harrods - what an amazingly beautiful store. Had a trip around the city in a open top red bus. More museams, art gallery's, parks, shops loving it all - even if we are so so so so tired!!!!

The Girls in Harrods, with a "friend"!!!!

Jere playing super man :)

and lastly, the girls playing roller coaster at the back of the open bus around London ( they also sang, "London Bridge is falling down" at the TOP of their lungs while riding over it!) - bit of a spot the aussie moment!!! LOL

Off to Notting Hill Tomorrow :) Can't wait.

Love Lisa

x

The British Museum

Yesterday we headed on the tube to the museum..... we braced ourselves because it was raining, and armed with jackets and rain covers for the pram... of we went.

And had a fabbo time. It was awesome. So much to see. So many people. The museum was a beautiful building, high ceilings, gorgeous light. Beautiful.

I was panicking when I realised that when I put my camera in my bag it had my 50mm lens, not my everyday all situations one. But it was such a blessing in disguise, because I got great shots inside the museum of both the kids and some of the artifacts.

That's all for today!

Love Lisa

x

Good times.............

yep, that's what this trip is all about.

Chillin' with family. Playing with Roobs. Just enjoying being together. So good.

Here are a few of my fave photo's so far (and there is going to be hundreds!)

We bought Roobs a DS today :) She totally loves it, and has been playing it all day - just like the "big kids" - cooking mumma is the game of choice. So nice to be able to spoil her, can't wait till they move home.

More photo's tomorrow! LOL

Love Lisa

x

Cutie Journals for the Kiddies!!!

Just finished in time :) Some super cute jouranals for the kids, to put all their bits and bobs, photo's and writing in while on our trip. I used a mixture of Love Elsie and Making Memories, a little Jenni Bowlin, and a few other bits........the best bit is the kids LOVE them.

Mine is still a work in progress! Which is pretty funny considering we leave tomorrow!!!! I reckon I will finish it tonight sometime!

Very possibly the next time I post I will be in LONDON!!!! YAY!!!!!

Love Lisa

x

packing and unpacking.........

Trying desperately not to over pack. Because I know there is going to be some SERIOUS Shopping in London and Shanghai!!!

So I pack, then check, then remove stuff, then pack again.

This week is all about getting the "jobs" done, stuff like organising for Freddie the Wonder Dog to be groomed and clipped, picking up visa cards, washing, cleaning, making sure there is music on the kids Ipods, chanrging DS's, checking scripts and medications, final bloods for me before the trip (oh the joy) and of course my hair done today!

Amoungst all this there have been kiddie parties and soccer presentations. My beautiful Godson Jake has turned ONE!!!!! Check out this cutie eating his Bday cake!!!!

So busy! but I am sooooo looking forward to the trip!!!!

And here is a photo of Littlest Missy - with my new lens.....so so so happy with it. Darn those eyes are GORGEOUS - and I didn't even bother with PS.

Anyway, Justin is about to head out to Footsal ( indoor soccer kinda game) and the kids and I are about to eat some yummy shephards pie......hmmmmm.

Wait a minute - just a quick share, of a layout I did for the LSBS Cybercrop last weekend. Love these dodgy photo's of Helen and I looking rather worse for wear, after a huge weekend at retreat - check out our eyes!!!! But I love the photo's anyway, cause it is with the most gorgeous girl in the entire universe, and we had one hoot of a weekend!!!!

Love Lisa

x