Anne of Green Gables

I have been watching this classic mini-series with Laney and as a mum I think I even appreciate the little red-headed girl even more than I did when I was a little girl myself. She is feisty and sticks up for herself, is honest, imaginative and clever. I just love it. The characters are just so good, and I love the idea of having many "kindred spirits" come into your life.

OK, so I also had a thing for Gilbert.

This is just before she breaks her slate over Gilberts head, I think. Love that bit!

Busy again...

I have been taking photos lately, so that I can show you all what I have been doing, without having to write much. I much prefer saying it with pictures. (Thanks to Pete for some of the family shots.)

We bought Laney new bathers recently, so we had to model them. Here's serious....

Here is excited...

We've done a bit of drawing...

Picnic-ing...

Catching up with family for important celebrations....

The happy couple talked about wedding plans...

We enjoyed the weather...

by having bbq's, and eating sausages in bread...

and now the restrictions have loosened, even watered the garden with a (shock, horror) hose!

Look at the gorgeous rewards Ro's hard work in reaping...

I have even been experimenting in preparation for the silly season...

My blanket will be ready, just in time for Summer. Oh well.

Health update

Man, it is hard to be disciplined when you go down to the beach for a break. The beer and fish 'n' chips were calling to me. I was very well behaved considering the temptations around me, and have still managed to maintain the 4 kilo weightloss that I have achieved so far on this new regime. But I certainly didn't lose any weight while we were down there.

Had a wonderful time playing in the sand with the girls in Apollo Bay, where we stayed for just two nights. Just what the doctor ordered for all of us. We couldn't get the smile off Helena's face. (Not that you would want to really.)

Am getting around as much as possible by foot and by my fabulous old Malvern Star. (Love my new basket. It fits quite a bit in there.) Let's hope the weight keeps coming off.

Hope you are enjoying the sunshine as much as me.

Spring is in the air

What a glorious day it is outside. I have just been for a walk, by myself, to do some errands, and felt an extra spring in my step as I enjoyed the sunshine! Laney and I have our new Summer dresses on - Laney's cost a whole $1, at the church fete this weekend.

On the weekend we had another wonderful time. One of the things we did was go to a friend, Sarah's, birthday party at Plaster Funhouse, which is now a feature in the garden. And we rearranged all the books on the bookshelves since we had purchased a lot more lately. Fun, fun fun.

Oh and the diet is going well so far. Not feeling so hungry all the time like I was in the beginning.

Just have to show off how my blanket is going. Having fun.

Laney in her new dress

The books, during the chaos.

The bookshelves after the reshuffle.

The view out the kitchen window this afternoon. So nice! All we need now is the grapes to grow
over the pergola, and a long table and chairs for underneath. I'm commissioning my dad to make
them from recycled timber.

Time to get serious

I am embarking on a health regime!

OK, so I have to put this out there, much like the Magda Szubanski's and Julia Morris' of the world, because once you announce it to people, you have to stick to it, so that you don't look like a big loser. Well, actually a Biggest Loser is probably what I want to look like, but then you get the picture.

I don't want to lose a HEAP of weight, but just get more healthy, and fit. When I had my first bub, I lost all the (10 kg) weight that I put on, in a matter of 6 weeks (miraculously), so I just went to town when I was pregnant the second time. Big mistake! Tia is already 1, and I have still only lost 10 of the enormous 18 kgs that I put on with her pregnancy.

So here it is. I am going to do it. You just watch me. I have to. (I really want to buy new clothes, and refuse to buy them for my current size!)

Could totally see myself wearing something like this, this Summer. How pretty is it!?

From the Sartorialist

Craft, friends, family - fun!

What a week I've had. It's just been filled with good stuff, and I really have enjoyed it. Thursday last week was craft night, and it was at my place this time. What a fun night we all had. Rohan decided to join us all, and he almost became a new member - thankfully I reminded him that he couldn't join, because I need him to stay at home on craft nights and look after the girls. Phew! Was great to see all the girls, and talk about craft, babies, crocheted penises and all the usual stuff.

Friday night - friends, wine, fun.

Saturday - walk and lunch at the pub with my beautiful girls in the sunshine, while Ro photographed a wedding.

Sunday - Just the four of us. Walk to cafe for brekky. Drive to Daylesford for market. Drive to Hepburn for lunch/picnic/wine/play/ on the grass at Lavendula.

How much fun!

Laney hasn't learnt how to cuddle gently yet. "She's just so cute!"she says.

Tia is randomly standing up and having little "Ta-da" moments - not walking yet though.

Laney is obsessing about her upcoming birthday and Christmas, and marking things she wants in catalogues with a "x"

Tia has just discovered that the baby in the mirror is actually her.

Just love this shopping list that Laney has been working on.

Really enjoying the crocheting. Just need more patterns.

Motherhood

Been thinking about motherhood a bit lately. It can be so exhausting at times, but it is also the biggest source of joy in my life. I adore my littlies, and they continue to amaze me on a daily basis. I think that the fact that my other half posted this on his blog the other day, is also one of the reasons I have been thinking about motherhood. That, and talking to a good friend the other day about it.

I don't really think Rohan had any real idea of what he or I were into, when we became pregnant for the first time. He was inspired to take this photo of me when Helena was about 18 months old. It was a little homage to mothers taking care of their family, without complaint. We are mums, cleaners, cooks, lovers, friends and more.

Respect, to all you mums out there. And to my mum, love you!