a little blogging break

Well I just had a little blogging break. No reason, just got busy doing other stuff. Anyway thought I would catch you up on what's been happening.

Tommy had a haircut:

Before


After



Our front garden is taking shape:







Just have to finish the decking off the main bedroom then the front is done.

Fences will be next if I can ever get a fencing contractor to give me a quote!! Wish me luck.

Photo Hunters #26 - Row

Hello everyone - here is my row. A row of lights down the lovely Esplanade in Surfers Paradise, QLD.




Happy weekend.

Photo Hunters #25 - Funky

We think our kids are 'Funky' - they are incredibly comfortable in their own skins. They are not afraid to show their personalities and be who they are (although I think they are funky - doesn't mean I haven't cringed over the years!!). We love them!!

Happy weekend.

Wordless Wednesday

Skaterboy graduates

For the last 6 months skaterboy has been doing a traineeship with Green Corps.

Green Corps – Young Australians for the Environment – is an Australian Government youth development and environmental training programme for young people aged between 17 and 20 years. Green Corps provides young people with the opportunity to volunteer their time and effort to conserve, preserve and restore Australia’s natural environment and cultural heritage.

We are very proud of him and the work he has done over the last 6 months. He and the rest of his team have been working around our beautiful World Heritage-listed parks, Lamington National Park and Springbrook National Park. The work they have done includes planting over 1200 trees, more than 1000m of track work, cleared more than 19000m2 of lantana (regarded as one of the worst weeds in Australia because of its invasiveness, potential for spread, and economic and environmental impacts), cleared more than 17000m2 of other weeds, propogated more than 1000 plants and was involved in a helicopter drop high in the mountains.

We know this work has given him a greater appreciation of the beautiful environment we live in.

So Ballerina and myself (Nito is working away) attended his graduation at the beautiful Mt Tamborine Botanical Gardens. The day was spectacular - both beautiful weather and a beautiful environment. After the graduation we enjoyed a sumptuous BBQ.

Photo Hunters #24 - Tiny

TINY boats on a big ocean!!




Enjoy your weekend.

Wordless Wednesday

Happy 80th Birthday Grandpa

"A grandfather is someone with silver in his hair and gold in his heart". ~Author Unknown


HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our wonderful Grandpa.

I like to walk with Grandpa;
his steps are short like mine.
He doesn't say, "Now hurry up,"
He always takes his time.

I like to walk with Grandpa;
his eyes see things mine do...
wee pebbles bright,
a funny cloud,
half-hidden drops of dew.

Most people have to hurry;
they do not stop and see.
I'm glad for Grandpa
unrushed and young like me.


We would love to be with you today, but we are thinking of you and wishing you a happy day!!

We love you!!

The landscaping begins!

After a few weeks of getting things organised our landscaping has begun. Although it will take a few months to get it all completed it will be worth the wait. The retaining wall has gone up around the backyard:





Now the retaining wall is completed, we can do the fencing around the backyard - that will be a few weeks away, but am looking forward to having that completed.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Photo Hunters #23 - Shadow

Me and my shadow!!




Happy weekend

Japanese tv Human Tetris game

This made me laugh, the things humans will do!

Wordless Wednesday

Take a Moment

Take a moment to pop on over to my new site Take a Moment. Find some different ways to relax, enjoy and find time for yourself again. Everyone's welcome!!!

Live Earth - Madonna film clip

I'm not an environmentalist or scientist, but I am a parent and want the best world for my children. I have been watching bits of LiveEarth and saw this clip. For some reason it really hit a chord with me - it just shows that some small changes can make this world a safer, cleaner, better place. I guess we all have to make choices on the way we treat our earth - I'm certainly going to treat her better and think about my actions.

Photo Hunters #22 - Fake

Mmmmmmmmmmmm FAKE. This was a hard one, but I managed to come up with:

Me (no I'm not the fake!) in my FAKE fur!! I love it, especially this time of year - winter.


This is also useful in winter - FAKE tanning solution!!


Enjoy your weekend and keep it real or fake (at least for this week)!!!!

Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of July to all our American blogger friends.
We are so looking forward to visiting your country in December!!

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

A Moranbah Diamond - Found only in the Moranbah area from Goonyella/Riverside Mine to the Peak Downs Highway, this quartz crystal is a true gem. It has a hardness of 7 to 7.5 (topaz = 8 and diamond = 10). Due to the iron content in the 'cooking' process this gem has a clarity far superior to that of a normal quartz crystal.

I know it's meant to be wordless - but Nito came home with a Moranbah diamond!!

What Year Do You Belong In??

You Belong in 1952

You're fun loving, romantic, and more than a little innocent. See you at the drive in!

What Year Do You Belong In?

Skaterboy has his Learners!!

Well finally our Skaterboy has got his Learners. So now he can learn to drive!!! Although he could have obtained his learners when he turned 16 1/2, he didn't. I am actually relieved that he didn't get it that early as most boys are quite immature at that age (some never change I know!!). So anyway the rules in Queensland change from 1 July 2007, so that was his motivation to get his Learners prior to that date.

So this boy will soon be on a road near you!!

Photo Hunters #21 - Shiny

So this is our shiny summer sky - although we are in winter at the moment. I love those days when you just lie in the grass and look up - taking time to appreciate everything around you. Yep it's only the sky, but it's amazing - to me anyways!!!



Enjoy your weekend!

Wordless Wednesday

Food on Sunday

Today we seemed to partake in lots of food activities (well I call them food activities), we (more precisely I) ate alot today. We took a walk down to our local lake and there were some markets, so I bought some fruit - started the day well. Ballerina enjoyed the watermelon on our walk home:




After that we went to KFC for lunch (very unhealthy I know). Then spent the afternoon celebrating a friends 43rd birthday and of course there was party food!!

We ended the day eating home made pizzas with friends - for me, home made makes them healthy.



Although we did cover them with plenty of cheese, marinated chicken and pizza base - they were delicious!!

Enjoy your food er I mean week!!

Which City do you belong in?

You Belong in Rome

You're a big city soul with a small town heart Which is why you're attracted to the romance of Rome Strolling down picture perfect streets, cappuccino in hand And gorgeous Italian people - could life get any better?

What City Do You Belong In?

Photo Hunters #20 - Hair

For some reason I took a photo of the HAIR that Ballerina had cut off back in March. So it seems appropriate that I use it for this weeks Photo Hunt. I didn't take a before shot - she had about 6inches cut off!! It made such a difference and she loved it!!





Happy weekend!

Wordless Wednesday

Public Holiday Monday

Yesterday, 11 June, we had a public holiday. The weather was perfect. We managed to get to the movies to see Pirates of the Caribbean - At Worlds End, after taking a walk around our local lake. We had a great day!!!

One of those shots you take of yourself!


Ballerina.


Nito and myself.


Our local lake.


So with these memories we go back to work today - ooohhhhh!!!

Enjoy your week.

The Car fits in the garage

Even though we have moved a few times over the last couple of years we still seem to gather 'junk'. During this move to our new home, the 'junk' was put in the garage, until we found the time to sort through it. Well Nito spent this last weekend sorting through everything and has made room for the car to go in the garage:

Before:




After:



Enjoy your week!