~ 10 on 10 (for the very first time) ~

 

I may have remembered it was the 10th today (happy dance) but I didn't remember to charge my Nikon batteries after the frosty marathon yesterday.

So my first ever 10 on 10 are from the phone.  And from a day where nothing much happened as the girls were at a hockey training day and Jack was at daycare.

1.  Our mountain from the back door (Mt Wellington) - all glowy and pink this morning.

2.  Another frost.  Not as bad as yesterday but a very chilly start once again.

3.  Creating shadow monsters in the hockey car-park before the training day started.

4.  A quick coffee before stretchy class at the gym (gym goes better with coffee!)

5. and 6.  On my walk to the post-office.  Only boring mail today :-(  But pretty trees and fascinating walls.

7.  Freshly picked snowflakes sitting in our bedroom 

8.  Journalling - look, I'm even up to date!

9.  A little gift for an IG friend - it really is the most amazingly supportive and friendly community.

10.  Nutmeg in the afternoon sun.

We're off to Melbourne for a flying visit tomorrow.
Hope the rest of your week is lovely.

♥

~ weekend snippets ~

 

We're still keeping our weekends low key.
A visit to Salamanca for apples, coffee, new plants for the garden and a chance meet-up with old friends.
Gardening, so many weeds to deal with.  Gorgeous roses to pick and delight in.  The chaotic beauty of the windflowers.
An afternoon tea with the friends who are family
Roast chicken and parsnips.
Amazing chalk art - we started drawing sea creatures as we talked about his excursion to the Marine Studies Centre this week but we ended up covering all the pavers with colourful art and he practised his letters over and over.
And candles for Earth Hour.

How was your weekend?
 ♥

{all on the iphone - I really must make time to get the real camera out before I forget how to use it}

Linking up with Em and others who share the snippets of their days. 

~ our garden - the late spring version ~

 

 

 

I had a wander round our garden today with my phone (I really should reach for the D80 more often... sigh).  We were lucky to inherit a garden with lots of the work already done...although we seem to be heading towards a more messy, random cottagey look than was originally intended (neglect will do that!)

We have big plans to grow more food but at the moment all we seem to manage are loads of raspberries, some spinach, some herbs and a few tomatoes.  The poppies have overtaken the raised bed and there are raspberries everywhere else that there aren't flowers.

I just love this time of year - the warmer weather and longer daylight means we're all spending more time outside - playing, weeding, eating, sitting... 

How does your garden grow?
Are you growing food for your family?

 ♥

~ a decade of Lily ~

My big girl turned 10 today.

That's 10 years of marvelling at just how clever we are to have made such a gorgeous little person.
10 years of finding new things to worry about almost every single day.
10 years of pride and joy.
10 years since the whole path of my life changed (for the better). 

We had a sleepover party here on the weekend - 4 friends for pizza at the beach, games in the garden and then a movie and bed.  The next morning we made pancakes and painted nails.  There was a mexican sombrero cake, balloons and posies of fresh flowers from our garden.  It was beautiful.  And so very Lily.

 

Lily's a dreamer and a thinker.
She is brave and resilient, sporty and smart.
Books and music are like breath to her. 
She's calm, quiet and just the loveliest company.

Her song goes a bit like this:

when I see your face

there's not a thing that I would change

'cause you're amazing

just the way you are

and when you smile

the whole worlds stops and stares for a while 

'cause girl you're amazing

just the way you are 

(Bruno Mars)

I can't even begin to imagine how the next decade is going to look
... I know I've got good company for the journey though.

♥

~ snap it ... breakfast ~

{Sometimes when it all goes pear shaped I have this after school drop off}

{My weekend treats - Pigeon Hole sour dough and raspberry jam}

Breakfast time around here used to be quite stressful  (3 kids, different tastes, ordering from the menu in their head.... )
That is until I introduced the "school days" and "other days" rules - on school days they can choose between weetbix or porridge (and then add extras like fruit/toast), on other days they can choose from the cupboard (usually nutrigrain, rice bubbles, mini wheats or cheerios) and campaign for eggs/pancakes etc as well.  There's always fresh fruit available.  They drink water or milk.
No fights.
Breakfast sorted.

I usually have porridge in winter (topped with stewed rhubarb or stewed apple) and bircher muesli in the warmer months. ( I mix Carman's muesli with grated apple, yoghurt, cinnamon, honey, nuts, dried apricots, craisins and have a big tub in the fridge...yum!).  The Doc has a banana on his way out the door... I still need to work on him.

Do you have breakfast rules?
See some other yummy breakfasts here where we play snap-it each week.

♥

 

~ grateful for... fresh starts ~

{also grateful for my children who indulge the photographer mummy}

School started again this week.

Cue cheery excited faces, books to cover, routines to be re-established.

We've had a fabulous summer but they were ready to be back.

Me, not so much.  
School's been tough for the last 2 years - not for the girls but the fight to save our school (the Tasmanian government is trying to shut small schools to save money) and the trials and tribulations of  working with a very difficult woman who had a "reign of terror" at our school.

She's gone and suddenly everything seems brighter.

There's a freshness at school, a new vibe, new energy and it's feeling great.

Our new principal actually stood up on the first day and acknowledged he will be fighting alongside us to save our wonderful little school.

I'm so grateful that we have the opportunity for a fresh start this year.  That there's hope and something still worth fighting for.

 ♥

What are you grateful for this week?

I'm joining in with themed gratefuls at kidspot Thanks Maxabella.  
I broke the rules this week.  I'm always grateful for nature and I post wordless posts about this every week so I thought it would be ok
xx

~ grateful for.... reasons to smile ~

Lots to smile about this week (and I'm always grateful for smiles).

Our girls (and their twinny besties) heading off to tennis camp.  I am so grateful my girls have these friends in their lives.  Girls they've known their whole lives.  Girls who are sleeping over tonight and who I can still hear chattering and giggling away (at 10pm!) even though they've spent ALL week together.

My little man heading to his first dress-up party.  With his spider man hat on backwards.  Not caring it was a pirate party.  At all.

A perfect night for a picnic on the lawns at Salamanca.

Holiday food - pancakes for breakfast and then "Muuuuum - we really should have SOMETHING healthy this week".

 

I didn't think I was going to like being told what to be grateful for each week.

But it turns out I'm really quite enjoying it...

 ♥

 I'm joining in with themed gratefuls at Kidspot.  Thanks Maxabella.