Jodarcaty POTD

Australia Day 2012

2012-01-26T08:45:00.000+11:00

we spent it fairly quietly but took the boys to the lake in the morning as it was going to be a hot hot day!

The boys love the new playground there and the net swirlies swing thing is a huge hit!

p52 : Joy

2012-01-21T08:32:00.000+11:00

I confess I didnt put a lot of thought into my p52 challenge this week, but while taking my photo for B3’s album Daz makes me smile. He bring joy into my life. He always knows when I need a hug, or time out or just to smile. The feeling of B3 growing and kicking and moving in my belly is an awesome feeling – a touch uncomfortable at times with the HUGE stretches that happen but I love it all the same. I would have to say that Joy is life in all its forms.

learning to FLy again

2012-01-19T20:36:00.001+11:00

This week has been hard. such a mental journey for me. I have struggled with everything from parenting , to who the heck am I, what the heck so I think I am doing taking photos of other people, why the heck do I even have a camera. There are so many factors that I know in my head are causing it. BUT at the end of the day I need to get into my head and clear it out. I have had a copy of The Fly Guide by Angie Warren for months. I started reading it when I first printed it out and clearly wasnt in a place to learn to fly yet. I watched this video by Zach Arias called Transform. In fact I have watched it a couple of times. At first it was just yeah ok, I’ve watched it, next step. But then I had to write my story. What the heck was I supposed to write? Where do I start? I struggle sometimes with so many balls being juggled in the air that I swear they all fall to the ground in rapid succession. I pick them up and start juggling again. So I watched it again. and I listened. And I listened to it again. Slowly it got me thinking. So I bought myself a new journal, – a pretty aqua one that appealed to me that is big enough to stick photos in. This is going to be my personal flight into finding me again. Which fits with my chosen word of Grow for the year. I will grow as a person, as a mum, as a photographer.

I am going to keep my journal entries off the blog, but I will let snippets through :)

Like tonight. I did a big purge into my newly cracked open journal. - 3 pages of scrawly thoughts and me. I had jotted down some questions that appealed to me while watching transform – who am I as a photographer? What was my vision? what were my goals? This coincided this week with my who the heck am I moments.

As I pondered and wrote it all coalesced into serious thoughts and ideas and goals and a desire to take on my personal challenge of doing what I really really want to be doing. Am I there – heck no. Do I have a direction in which I can get help along my journey? absolutely. Do I know where I want to go. yes.

so I feel like there is a bit of some of that weight off my shoulders tonight. I am sure tomorrow it will be back there, but for now I know in which direction to face my fears and the determination to do it.

Back to Fly. Pick your fave ever 5 photos. How in the heck am I going to pick only 5 images I will admit I have only gone back to since I have my digital camera’s. the blurry, the heart tugging emotionally connected images that appeal to me. They make my heart sing. They are images that stay with me in my heart and my mind. Do they pop up every single day. nope a couple are recent images. but some are not. some are just me and him. BUT looking at them and unconsciously analysing them I see a truth and a clarity in what I wrote not an hour before and what I see in these images.

ok I confess I picked six :)

this one appealed to my photography side :)

so I see a path, and I see why I have chosen the path I am to embark on. I see my vision and I see my goals and honestly I see my heart again. If this is a journey to find all of this and come out stronger and whole and happy and content then it is so worth it.

I have ordered some things that I have wanted for a while, things that will help me learn more about my craft, to help me get to a degree of satisfaction within myself to know that I can do this. I can work at anything and achieve my hearts desire.

27 weeks

2012-01-17T18:05:00.000+11:00

P52 – Black and White

2012-01-15T21:45:00.001+11:00

I have to admit I did think a little bout what I ‘should’ shoot for this weeks topic. But inspiration eluded me as I have been immersing myself in colour and bright colours at that! I love black and white images. I love it when something as simple as the right light and the right spot gives me a fabulous conversion from bright colour of a sunset night to a B&W images that make my heart smile. I chose these two images of my cuties because it shoes them as they are! I have more but I havent edited them yet, so maybe later with the share!
anyway here are my boys in their ‘me-ness’!

Mr T in all his cheekiness. I see this almost giggle all the time and it is so him!

Oh my big boy! you are all grins at the moment and growing up so fast! big muscles my boy! love you lots

26 weeks

2012-01-15T21:33:00.000+11:00

I know I blogged about the first page the other day, but in B3’s album is a page of pondering and comparison :) I found the 20 week ultrasounds of all three of my kidlets and it is kinda cool!

Finally some belly pics! @26 weeks (just!! we click over to 27 tomorrow!)

Wondering What you are going to look like

2012-01-13T08:50:00.001+11:00

you know B3 seeing you the other day has had me wondering what you are going to look like, are you going to look like your brothers or totally different? Am I going to get third red head - although to ask Ty what colour hair he has "its orange". Am I going to get another blue eyed babe or maybe a 2nd brown eyed red - oops sorry orange head.
I suspect that thus far the lack of heart burn may mean not so much hair - kinda like Caden who was practically bald till he was 1! whereas Ty gave me grief all the time whilst inside with lots of heart burn and has lots of thick hair!

Here is my Caden at 4 days old. That little sprinkling of hair was as red as it is today!

Here is my Tyler with all his orange hair at 4 days old! We laughed that he turned into an old man with red hair as bits rubbed off at the back by sleeping on his back.

when the Dr waved the u/s wand over the area where your head lay and you extended your head back as if to say what is pushing on me? I caught a resemblance to Caden, just a moment. But then while I see the boys as so different others don’t. they see them as similar. I wonder where you are going to fit into that little dynamic. Any which way you look, you will be you, with your own personality and I am sure that you are going to take on your big brothers in a way that they will not know what has hit them (or me for that matter :)
cant wait to meet you little one!

Grow…

2012-01-07T09:42:00.001+11:00

I have been doing a lot of pondering and thinking and jotting notes and research and more pondering lately. January and the New Year always seems to bring out the strive to something more in me. This year there are so many changes afoot personally and professionally with our family. I clicked on to Ali Edwards blog where she had a couple of projects that she does yearly that intrigued me. One is the One Little Word project . This got me thinking (yes more thinking!) what word do I think would suit me to work towards this year? What can apply to all aspects of our lives? I decided on Grow. Grow’s definition is …

I have mulled over it for a week or so, and the more I go back to it I think it fits perfectly for 2012.

There is the physical aspects of literally growing bigger – both myself with the birth of B3 rapidly coming closer, The boys as they continue on as they are constantly growing and changing and learning, Daz who has decided to try and get fitter and healthier this year.

The mental aspects for all four of us – me with striving to find new directions with my photography, challenging myself to be better in areas that I feel needs improvement and practice.

                                                             - For Daz with the new direction work has taken and the new challenges he faces in learning his new job and undertaking a series of courses to get a good grasp of his chosen field.
                                                              - For Caden who is entering year 2 this year and continuing on his schooling journey. Also to see what sports or challenges he will pursue throughout 2012

                                                               -For Tyler who starts Kindergarten this year and opens up a whole new world that he is so ready for.

For me photographically I am still trying to decide what direction I want to grow in and develop further. The two that jump to the front of my mind is Light – learn to use it, how to manipulate it, how to love it.

Specialise – I want my business to go in a certain direction this year and am in the process of setting goals to achieve this. There is so much to learn and develop that I am going to take the time to really get it clear in my head. I love it. I love the shooting, editing, the printing and producing. And that helps so much. I think that if I didn't love it then the drive to grow would not be there.

For me/us personally and as a family this year are so many changes coming. I often wonder how much this new little person is going to change our lives. I know the impact having a newborn can have but I love the fact that the four of us are so eagerly anticipating B3’s arrival. The boys are so excited and are really looking forward to being big brothers. I often have people say oh you need to get so much organised than you are now to deal with three children. I think that honestly our lives work and B3 is going to slip in really well. Daz will be travelling a bit this year with work so there is a new challenge in itself – me and the kids! I hope that we have a much healthier year this year. The last couple of years have been so tough and honestly there feels like there is a change in the air for us.

SO as part of my choosing a word to live by / be inspired by / be challenged by/ this year I am going to attempt a project 52. I started with all good intentions last year a project 365 but I hit a lull in June and then barely picked up my camera much at all from July to October (thank you so much morning/noon and night sickness). I figure if I can aim for once a week and relatively on theme from a list of weekly challenges then I am going to be happy. Oh I am sure that there will be a series of smaller photographic projects that I will undertake - like the 30 days of b3, and his/her monthly photos, the sewing projects I have set myself – creating the boys quilts each to give them by the time B3 arrives. B3’s quilt, burp cloths and various other projects that may or may not happen :)

Oh and blogging. I desperately got behind last year –I think biting of more than I could chew. So I am breaking into smaller pieces and goals I have a desk calendar this year and hope to be develop into better habits of recording things on it as it sits right under my nose.

Cleaning my house. I have slowly gone insane this year with the lack or room and immense amounts of clutter that have littered our home. It has been so easy to become complacent and think “oh I will do it later” and then when you look up later that you realise that you have 5 baskets of washing sitting waiting to be folded or the dishes from last night’s dinner are still sitting in the sink waiting to be stacked in the dishwasher. So far – this first week of January I have been trying to be vigilant about getting on top of the washing and the cleaning. so far. I feel a small measure of success. I have had a week of a clean kitchen and finally getting on top of the mountain and mountain of washing.

And because a post without a photo is useless I want to share one of my boy. He is growing up so fast before our very eyes. No long a little boy, but a 7 year old that is really developing in to a charismatic, cheerful, cheeky boy that loves life.

And one of my growing belly…

25 weeks

2012-01-02T17:34:00.000+11:00

24 weeks

2011-12-26T17:09:00.000+11:00

One is better than none!!

2011-12-24T17:39:00.000+11:00

Caden was so not having anything to do with a Santa photo this year – but Ty was!! Nothing like a last minute Christmas Eve dash to see Santa!

Time flies fast (and so does bill!)

2011-12-24T17:02:00.000+11:00

Oh my! Time has certainly flown hasn’t it! We woke up to Bill's celebration of today being Christmas Eve. He was hanging from our air con vent with a banner telling us 1 more sleep. He also had a little note for the boys! (in the next pic!)

Ty needs his Two front teeth For Xmas!!

2011-12-23T18:01:00.000+11:00

Yep the second wobbly tooth is out! he was so happy to finally give it a yank and out it came!! You can see that his other one is half up already!!

Bill & the Tooth Fairy

2011-12-23T17:02:00.000+11:00

Bill had a chat with the Tooth Fairy tonight! Since Mama STILL hasn't made a tooth keeper the boys just use a cup, so Bill Decided to keep Tyler's reward for his tooth safe while he slept!

Bill the Red Nosed Elf…

2011-12-22T16:58:00.000+11:00

Hmm seems someone is getting inspired by the DVD collection... Bill found the stash of pressie decorations tonight, oh what fun the kids had this morning with his mess :)

Row Row Row Your Boat…

2011-12-21T15:50:00.000+11:00

Gently on the carpet in front of the Christmas tree! Tuck all the presents in too and a Happy Elf I be!

Chilling in front of the TV

2011-12-20T15:48:00.000+11:00

Bill was a bit weary today, all that flying (courtesy of his elf magic dust) to the north pole and back! So he thought chilling in front of the TV was the way to go!

23 weeks

2011-12-19T17:05:00.000+11:00

6 sleeps to go!!

2011-12-19T15:46:00.000+11:00

So Bill tells us! Our cheeky little elf found the Toilet paper and made the boys a banner!

Fishing Anyone??!?

2011-12-18T15:44:00.000+11:00

Bill got a bit tired of trying to find the pond in the house so he made his own fish and decided that the side of the fridge was an excellent place to fish!

Just hanging around!

2011-12-17T15:41:00.000+11:00

Bill popped into the Advent calendar today to mark the spot that the boys were up to!

Email from Santa

2011-12-16T07:53:00.000+11:00

Bit of a photo essay today :)
Bill discovered the computer last night and arranged a special message to the boys from Santa. He wrote them a note and left it on the screen for them to find it in the morning

Santa sent the boys personal emails with a link to a video message as well. I video'd the kids as they watched it for the first time and the looks on their faces was so worth it!

Ty knew that I would have to touch Bill today so that I could move him away from the computer, and since Santa sent us some extra magic elf dust for such an occasion, he had a chat with Bill about getting Santa to send Mummy a special email too, sprinkled some dust and we helped Bill fly to the Christmas Tree Star so she can chill out in the lounge room for the day :)

Bill Finds the Lipstick

2011-12-15T07:51:00.000+11:00

Oh Bill!! Bill found my poor neglected make-up stash last night and since he figured I don't use it he will! The boys were a bit excited to find another note from him. But said that he was naughty writing on the mirror :)

Bill and the Whistle

2011-12-14T07:49:00.000+11:00

Well Bill was so impressed with Caden's recorder playing at home that he rummaged through the party supplies and found his own tooter whistle!

Bill and the Magic Elf Dust

2011-12-13T07:48:00.000+11:00

Since Bill couldn’t find the fish pond last night, he had a chat with Santa about how the boys were worried that the magic dust might be rubbed off when Mum picked him up. So Santa wrote the boys a note and sent them a little packet of Magic Elf dust to keep safe if Bill needs it to get back to the North Pole :)

22 weeks

2011-12-12T17:07:00.000+11:00

Bill and the Shapes

2011-12-12T07:46:00.000+11:00

Bill discovered the shapes container in Caden's room last night. He sat and made patterns all night - but super quietly. The boys didn’t hear him at all and Ty searched the house for him this morning. But Clever Bill hid in plain sight again on Cadens floor :)

Bill Snoozes in bed

2011-12-11T07:45:00.000+11:00

The boys were at G’ma and Papa’s for the weekend so Bill decided to have a rest in Tyler’s bed for the night

A note from Bill

2011-12-10T07:43:00.000+11:00

the Christmas Tree Battle

2011-12-09T22:09:00.001+11:00

Took place last night. When Bill returned from the North Pole and visiting Santa, the Bionicles had reformed and were trying to storm the Tree. Bill and his stackable Santa mates held them off with the Nerf Gun :)

Bill and the BBakugans

2011-12-08T22:06:00.000+11:00

Bill met with Dragonoid and a couple of other bakugans in Cadens room to discuss battle strategy!

Hiding in Plain sight

2011-12-07T20:55:00.000+11:00

Bill decided to hide in plain sight today to see how long it took the kids to find him! Mum had to give a few little clues to help!

21 weeks!

2011-12-05T22:10:00.000+11:00

Bill and the Dragon

2011-12-05T20:50:00.000+11:00

Bill grabbed Dallas (the horse) for a canter across Tylers chest of drawers last night. He met a sad and sore dragon but decided to let sleeping dragons lie

Swinging on a star :)

2011-12-04T20:47:00.000+11:00

Hehehe I am up here!! Bill spent the day hanging around on the tree today!

Bill and Barbie…

2011-12-03T07:28:00.000+11:00

Bill met up with Barbie last night and before checking out the Wii had a look through AN Aussie Night before Christmas (maybe to see what we do differently from the Northpole!)

Bill and the Coco Pops…

2011-12-02T07:19:00.000+11:00

Oh My! Bill got into the kitchen last night!! He decided that flinging some coco-pops around the kitchen bench was something fun to do :P

Meeting Bill the elf

2011-12-01T07:09:00.000+11:00

Last year I discovered Elf on the Shelf – mostly an American tradition for families that has elves come to stay for the month of December. We bought ours from Barnes and Noble in the US. (way way cheaper than to buy it in Australia (especially with their coupons as well). The elves have special magic that lets them fly back to Santa each night and report back to him whether or not the kids should be on the Naughty or Nice lists. Our elf arrived a little late (3days before Christmas) last year so this we year when he arrived we gave him a name … Bill. And we are looking forward to seeing what mischief he gets up to at night!

20 weeks!

2011-11-28T07:30:00.000+11:00

19 weeks

2011-11-21T07:31:00.000+11:00

18 Weeks

2011-11-14T07:32:00.000+11:00

17 weeks

2011-11-07T07:33:00.000+11:00

16 weeks

2011-10-31T07:34:00.000+11:00

15 weeks

2011-10-24T21:07:00.000+11:00

14 weeks

2011-10-17T21:10:00.000+11:00

GOrgeous light

2011-10-15T21:59:00.000+11:00

and playing around a bit with the light. baby bump at 13 weeks

13 weeks

2011-10-10T21:11:00.000+11:00

bits of randomness for a sunday night

2011-10-09T21:47:00.000+11:00

Bionicle

being silly :)

baby bump starting

cutie with a grin! cutie #2 with a pose!

A real smile!! WOOHOO! Dont you laugh Ty-Ty. IT is not allowed :) ♥

take one set of metal pliers

2011-10-08T21:44:00.000+11:00

Hide them in the long grass and mow over them and you get shattered windows! :(

Oh and one very ticked off Daddy :)

oh yeah Baby!! Chocolate Chip cookies!! Yummo!

2011-10-07T21:42:00.000+11:00

love this recipe - will have to find the link again for you!

lake fishing

2011-10-03T21:39:00.000+11:00

12 weeks

2011-10-03T21:12:00.000+11:00

first attempt at fishing in the river…

2011-10-02T21:35:00.000+11:00

Results in the boys jumping in!

new hobby…

2011-10-02T21:25:00.000+11:00

the boys (in particular Ty) have discovered fishing. they love it!! (well Tyler does. This is the first carp they caught at the lake!!

Jammie day + holidays + rain storm = Puddle jumping!

2011-09-29T20:33:00.000+10:00

my insane kiddos in the cold weather rain storm puddle jumping!

mmm mars bar nibbles

2011-09-28T20:30:00.000+10:00

I love love love these things!! and they are sooo easy to make

Ingredients

30g butter

3 marsbars (chopped up)

2 cups of cocopops

Method:

melt marsabrs and butter together in a pan, stirring until well combined and creamy.

Add cocopops and coat them in the marsbars/butted mix

Spoon onto biscuit tray.

you can refrigerate if you want but we leave it to set on the bench for about 15min (to cool down)

eat away. Good luck with the self control and stopping at only 1 or 2!

9 weeks

2011-09-19T20:14:00.000+10:00

10 weeks

2011-09-19T20:13:00.000+10:00

6 weeks

2011-09-12T20:15:00.000+10:00

5 weeks

2011-09-05T20:16:00.000+10:00

OUR NEWS!!

2011-08-11T15:47:00.000+10:00

Some of you may have seen this on fb already but since I have been such a bad bad bloggedy blogger but we have big news!! oh yeah baby that is baby #3 on the way!! I am gonna back date so that they are in some sort of chronological order!!

So now you can kinda see why my blogging has gotten behind and my fb seems to be kinda up to date. My new little wriggle bean has been keeping me under the weather and it has taken all that I can be and do to take your beautiful images that you have trusted me to take and make sure that they get to you!

So in the next few weeks now that I have a clearer head and much less morning sickness and first trimester HOLY MOLY"’s we should be heading back to more regular programming!!

today…

2011-07-21T22:15:00.001+10:00

was the day that I had to get out in the sunshine. All week I have been working really hard on getting a gallery up and the child care photos ready to give to parents. Tyler has been awesome – it helps that he is addicted to the DS. Bad mama I know letting him play so much but today I had so much to do and I was stoked to say I got it done. BUT we needed a time out. The sun was marvellous today. The weather was beautiful so Ty and I picked Caden up from school and headed to the park. I haven't worked on many pics (ok just one) but honestly I think it is a favourite.

We had a fabulous time at the park! And then got a message saying Daddy was home early from work!! even better! So today was a good day!

enjoy J

Happy birthday baby boy!!

2011-07-12T17:11:00.000+10:00

I cannot believe that Tyler has turned 5! How time flies so fast – from such a tiny thing that had a huge voice he has become a big boy that constantly eats, never stops and loves endlessly. Oh did I mention never stops talking?! in the lead up to today all he wants was a DS..

and since he is mad for Angry birds on the ipod – I found a few patterns and made him a set…

and G’ma and Papa got him a big pig

Tyler Caden and Daddy are mad for Star Wars – the clone wars is a week night just before bed tradition in our house hold. Guess What Caden bought for Ty?

yep a set of light sabers!

Our budding Master Chef’s got a kitchen that has kept them occupied!

and a little bit of lego and a World Series baseball T-shirt from America as well! (Thanks Aunty Jo and Uncle Matt, Miss C and Miss A!)

So all in all the munchkin was spoiled rotten for his 5th birthday!

Stay tuned for party time!

enjoy J

today we…

2011-07-06T21:20:00.001+10:00

Started the day going insane. This cold cold cold weather is so not nice. We are day 3 into holidays and being cooped up inside is so not good for sanity sake – especially when little brother just wants to play with big brother who wants some quiet time.

Anyhoo we went shopping – got some really cool shoes for the boys (perfect for photos), a new shirt, some coloured paper and drawing stuff.

Thank goodness that new textas+ new notebooks = content kiddos for a while.

Caden did these… Tyler did this…

so we made some origami..

our ladybirds and our ghost

at kids request over the last couple of days we made cookies…

fairy cookies jam drops chocolate chip (milk and white chocolate)

and dinner was lasagna… yum!

then we finished with jokes, giggles and snuggles this child of mine thinks it is funny to get in really close where usually I cant get the shot. haha joke is on him tonight as I had the right lens on :)

so that is our. all in all a pretty good day. much improved from yesterday when I was so over the day by about 3pm.

Oh nearly forgot to mention – I am such a mean Mama – I made C do a journal writing exercise tonight too. He did really well. needed prompting to expand on “we went to the shops” but I am happy with what he did.

enjoy J

Holy Moly it is the 5th today!

2011-07-05T21:33:00.000+10:00

Ok I confess I took the pics on the 6th for the things we did today. But I have not even been interested in picking up my camera for nearly a week. now that is something new for me. I rarely have it far away from me at all. We are inside bound. But for a great start to the day….

gave the kids their chore charts…

I gave them the same regardless of whether Ty is in school or not – he seems to want to read etc. I found them from here

So they were up and dressed and rooms tidied all before 7.30am. The incentive of each tick = 5min DS or Wii time apparently works :)

Then after they had been great, the other shoe dropped and nothing would keep them occupied or happy or from arguing so the day basically devolved from there. Bring on Daddy home time if you ask me. :)

But I did create some spelling and letter folders for them that kept them occupied for a little while.

Tylers – trace the letters And Cadens collage story – they had to cut out pictures from the magazines, make a collage and tell me a story.

enjoy J

Challenge: Silhouette {landscape|colour}

2011-06-30T20:33:00.000+10:00

Challenge: self portrait {composition}

2011-06-29T20:30:00.000+10:00

Challenge: something green {colour}

2011-06-28T19:51:00.000+10:00

brr frosty mornings!!

Challenge: clouds {colour}

2011-06-27T19:49:00.001+10:00

Today these looked fabulous as I ducked outside at the crack of dawn.. sun coming up shining on the jet streams.

just fun with the pinks and oranges against the blue!

ahh that time of year…

2011-06-27T16:34:00.001+10:00

The toy catalogue time of year! the boys claim them and then they are out the door with them to school! lol. they did let me take their pics this morning.

thinking about lots and lots of stuff

2011-06-26T20:06:00.001+10:00

Before we get to the rainbows…
I realised today that I really don't share bits of me. so rarely let out some of that wild insanity that is our life! Those that have met and chatted with me – my wonderful clients, my friends, my family I don't think would associate the word quiet with me. But I took a good long hard look at myself this week and realised I have been pulling the covers over my head and bunkering down and hoarding all the fun things that we (and I) do. Does this mean that we have wild and crazy days every day? nope just the opposite. But as a mum (and I am sure any mum and dad will tell you) ) that with children in the house there is certainly not one single moment where there is not something happening. And if it is deadly silent (especially in day time hours) there are investigations to be done. – there is surely mischief being up to.

So all this thinking (and yes I cleaned up my house and did all the mundane chores like hanging out the washing (don’t you just love that job?) me too – not! :) and had my mind galloping at a mile a minute with all these new ideas and things to do. I got to thinking grass roots. what is at the bottom of me, who am I and what do I love? where do I want to go, how can I achieve it, what sides of me do I feel like I am hoarding to myself. And in the midst of all this thinking (and I did a bit of reading of a new mentoring guide that i have received last night) and it made me realise that I was scared of letting me out. I had started not being me, but striving to be someone that wasn't one particular person but all those pieces of people and places that I though “should” be me. I also realised that the wants were obscuring my vision of the reality of what I have in my hands and in my life right now. I can want all I like but ultimately if I sit on my butt and do nothing I get nothing in return and I don’t see myself achieving my goals and dreams. I also don’t teach my boys to go for your dream and achieving whatever it is they want.

last week I bought this organiser I just couldn’t resist it. I wanted an iphone but not really an option since I am on an awesome plan and dont want to leave it. Anyhoo, I ducked into officeworks for a printer cartridge and had a quick squiz up and down the aisles (as I love to just wander) and this was red – oh so lusciously red. It contains the business organiser but I don't really want one for that purpose specifically. I like just being able to jot notes down will nilly and have lists all in one place!

Next step was that I have been sucked into Pinterest. It is this amazingly inspired/inspiring website that you are invited to for access (but you can join or ask to join so not an exclusive secret society or anything like that!) and honestly it sets my creative juices flowing both for my photography and baking and generally anything else that takes my fancy! Oh and can I say that facebook is the most fascinating and entertaining time suck there is around? seriously I spend too much time on there some days (no self discipline I know :P)

anyway I discovered a few tips on blogging and the craving for organisation and the need to have a direction was finally seeing some light. I honestly didn't know that I needed it – just knew I needed something. And they had some printables to download my girl thursday blogging article, and while I loved the titles and set out, their patterns and colours weren't really me. So I dragged out my favourite Shabby Princess scrapbooking kits and made my own. So now I have a to-do list, a plan of what I am going to write about rather than the random – this is more for my JLB blog but it wont hurt me here too! notes to jot thoughts down and things that we all do to keep those memories and a just write. I need to jot thoughts down otherwise they stew, And since it has been a while since I either blogged or journalled I have been stewing/mulling/obsessing – which for me is so not a good thing. I need thoughts out of my head, otherwise insanity ensues

and so I put it all together and now it looks purty ….

I at least now have an action plan and a direction I can take myself. Time will tell if I can do it or will do it. but I am trying to be accountable for me and my actions so I figure this is the time. and it starts now

So accountability.. I need it.

These are my current learning/journeying to-do’s

Finish MLK Course properly not the yes I got to the end to not have it all settled in my head kind of finish but the OMG there is light, there is camera there is action! I can do it!
Share my journey
Start the Fly mentoring by Angie Warren
Share my journey
Print my Joy of love book that I have only one story to go and I cannot find a pic anywhere for it so I might have to paint with words instead.
share it in a slideshow
Complete some self challenges and those from forums I visit. I need to do this for myself.
blog at least once a week. I would like to do more but hey since my blogs are so neglected now once a week is a start.

phew ok that is enough soul searching and self whinging.

now for cheery stuff.

I made rainbows : and we ate them all up :)

Pancakes for breakfast…

and Tyler snowed his with sugar…

and then we made cookies (found them on pinterest and followed it to good life eats blog – I modified the recipe to be gf by substituting the flours. all else was the same!

mm rainbows always make you smile!

Sunshine through the clouds…

2011-05-30T14:36:00.001+10:00

I have finally been able to sit down and get ready to blog some recent sessions today. We have had such a journey our family of late. We lost a family member in an exceptionally rapid illness and that had drawn my attention towards my children and husband for a time as well as being called away to Townsville for a couple of weeks. While it was a heart wrenching trip it was also a wonderful time to reconnect with family that we don't get to see very often and let our children play with their cousins – getting to know them a little bit more. I will admit that the 2 weeks of sunshine was difficult to leave coming home to our cold cold early winter! brr!

here are a few shots of out trip away reconnecting with one another after nearly a month apart. We were so pleased to be back together and a little bit of fun was in order for the 4 of us!

This was one of my boys absolutely favourite places to go. Totally free and it is this big water park on the Strand right on the beach. They could have spent hours and days there if we let them! The best thing was that the big bucket tipped over and totally flooded the area and like a tidal wave on their head!

There was of course beach play and sand castles built (see the stinger nets that surrounded the safe area – so glad they were there!)

And I love the look of palm trees at dusk. look on the ocean. love it.

And being the person (ahem photographer) I am I could not waste the opportunity to capture some portraits of my boys at the beach just having fun. I had a goal of not getting them wet.. but they are 4 and 6 do you think I succeeded……

of course not. But I love each and every image – they had so much fun and that to me is what it was all about. I captured my children as they are right now. they are funny and quirky and fast and silly and totally boys who love to get wet and dirty covered in sand (I swear we took home half the beach that night lol)

and we could not go away without a night out a good restaurant. desserts and prawns what can I say I was in heaven!

more later! ♥j

Saying goodbye

2011-05-05T15:02:00.000+10:00

We have had such a journey over the last few weeks. From that awful day that we received the call to say that Darren’s Mum had been diagnosed with cancer. This was a journey that our family joined together to try and fight this awful thing. D went up to his mum when things turned worse – complicated by an unrelated illness that just made the fight a bit harder. Unfortunately the diagnosis came too late for treatment to be effective and we lost the battle. Today we had to say goodbye. It was one of the hardest days yet at the same time so heartening because throughout the service at the funeral home and the crematorium there was a feeling of joy there. My Brother – in –Law created a slideshow of Lyn’s life and as we sat and watched it listening to the joy and amazement in Tylers voice as he recognised the people in the photos that really celebrated who she was and how we all fitted into her life and family. the grief was there but also the joy of having known her and loved her. She will always be loved and missed.

we snapped a couple of family pics before the funeral

And I took some at the crematorium. As Lyn was in the RAAF the RSL was wonderful in having their padre conduct the services and her coffin was draped in the flag.

After all the services were completed we adjourned outside to release some balloons in Lyn’s favourite colours. The boys said later that we were sending Nanna the balloons so that she wouldn't be sick anymore up on her star and they will make her happy.

bye Lyn, we love you.

♥j

wake up Uncle Michael!!

2011-05-05T14:25:00.000+10:00

hehe up early arent they? :P

♥J

the slide…

2011-05-04T14:19:00.000+10:00

we stayed at a big4 caravan park for the last couple of days for our trip in Townsville as we had cleaned out Lyn’s flat.

The boys were so super excited by the slide – they could have spent hours and hours on it if we let them!

love J

time is slipping away too fast…

2011-04-17T15:26:00.001+10:00

*sigh* its moments like this that you realise that he is not your baby boy anymore but is turning into someone that is strong and smart and funny and oh so tolerant of his mum and becoming oh so grown up. I think he needs to just slow down for a little while so I can keep him the way he is a little bit longer.

Sunset after a storm!

2011-03-14T17:24:00.000+11:00

♥j

Look Ma! No tooth!

2011-03-14T14:43:00.000+11:00

It is out!! Caden came out so proud this morning! no front tooth!

♥j

Road trip!

2011-03-12T14:40:00.000+11:00

To Beechworth where we checked out the guns and anit aircraft canons,

an old jail cell Introduced the boys to Ned Kelly!

Then off to Glenrowan Home of Ned Kelly. Ty was a touch small when standing next to the Statue!

Then off to Shepparton and the big play park there! The boys had a blast!

There was this cool rainbow painted cow!

And a storm brewing on the horizon after sundown

♥j

what Tyler loves to eat

2011-03-11T14:27:00.000+11:00

he would eat this till the cows come home I think.

♥j

its is here!!

2011-03-10T14:24:00.000+11:00

my new light for my studio images!! woohoo!

♥j

its wobbly!

2011-03-09T14:23:00.000+11:00

yep Cadens top tooth is getting ready to fall out! wont be long now!!

♥j

A little bit of now

2011-03-08T14:46:00.000+11:00

Caden is now at the stage in school he has homework. Tonight we made him creat sentences with his flash cards! He is relly coming along well with his learning!/p>

♥j

bit of flair and the 4yo!

2011-03-07T04:38:00.000+11:00

I took Ty down to the lake last night to trya nd work on different lighting and posing. We took bubbles and balloons and a blowy thingy and had fun!

♥J

playing with colour and lines and stuff

2011-03-06T06:47:00.000+11:00

♥j

lego creation!

2011-03-05T16:45:00.000+11:00

Caden is really discovering lego and today while I was setting up for a session he built this fabulous ship!!

♥j

trying my hand a macros!

2011-03-02T04:40:00.000+11:00

plotting the art of distraction

2011-03-01T04:45:00.000+11:00

The boys were playing outside with Daddy and I grabbed the camera to play too. So they plotted to keep my attention on them and not on hte sneaking up behind me to throw the ball at me! Hey I will gladly be bait for a photo :)

home grown..

2011-02-28T04:49:00.000+11:00

we found this pumpkin at the back of the patch!

♥j

time with the family

2011-02-27T05:27:00.000+11:00

♥j

craft time!

2011-02-24T05:23:00.000+11:00

♥j

♥ what can I say?

2011-02-23T05:22:00.000+11:00

♥j

not so happy today!

2011-02-22T05:19:00.000+11:00

homework with daddy

2011-02-21T05:20:00.000+11:00

kisses, cuddles with my boy and a new hair cut!

2011-02-17T05:17:00.000+11:00

♥j

homemade cookies

2011-02-16T05:11:00.000+11:00

♥j

a day of us!

2011-02-15T05:10:00.000+11:00

winks!

big brown eyes cuddles true laughter

a good day!

♥j

sunset at the lake

2011-02-14T05:08:00.000+11:00

♥j

walk around Lake Burley Griffen

2011-02-13T05:06:00.000+11:00

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♥j

finally put it up

2011-02-10T05:05:00.000+11:00

the boys from Merimbula holiday!

♥j