Sharing our beautiful Autumn with you

A fun party in Werribee....and a fun stay in Clifton Hill

You re-connected with one of the other China girls while we were in Bendigo and you got on so well with her, so when we received an invite to her 8th birthday party I decided we should go.

We were lucky enough to be able to stay at the absolutely beautiful home of our friends in Clifton Hill (part of our Suixi adoption family).  They were away for the weekend so we had this home to ourselves.

I felt like I was on a luxury holiday!

Well, regardless of all that ~ it was a pirate party and I luckily had a girly pirate outfit given to me by my sister in law.  Phew.

You can see from these photo's (and video) that it was a blast.

I planned to go home after the party, but decided to spend another night in luxury and drive home on Sunday.  Great weekend!

a little bit of fun....

....and a bit of pirate party fun....

Last day, just before we left to come home, you decided to try the skateboard out

We stopped at DFO in Essendon and came across this amazing community BBQ set up!

You at 7.5

Hmmm...well, you're a little past 7.5, but not too much.

I delight in you my sweet child.  You are amazing, sensitive, loving and caring.

I so enjoy the pictures and stories you are writing at the moment and I love how, when you are with friends, you write each other letters.  You don't hesitate to put 'love' Ebony...even though some children do.  Is that good?  I don't know but I love it anyway.

You're reading at around level 22 now....such a big jump.  Only last week you've jumped from 19 to 22.  You blow me away with your antics and your words and your ability now to understand things and the way you try your best to express things.

I get 'you're the best mum' a LOT now.  We get on so well.  As soon as I take some time to sit on the couch and watch something we both enjoy (The Block, Masterchef, kids movies, The Voice) you can't sit beside me and snuggle in quickly enough.

If there's work to be done outside or in the garage you are (mostly) very quick to come and help.  If there's something happening at school you are quick to write a card or put together some of your toys to give away.

When we went to Bendigo and walked around a market you saw an aboriginal painting and you said 'please mummy, can I give that to Jo (your art teacher).  It was only $15 so I agreed.  This week you were able to give it to her and Jo was incredibly touched and sent home a lovely note to you and I.  Your heart makes my heart sing.

You still love your barbies and you love your collection of stuffed toys.

I recently bought you 'The Beginners Bible' because the one you had was really a 'baby bible' and the alternative was small but so was the print!!!!.  I wasn't sure which one to select so the lady in the Christian bookshop in Bright pointed me toward this bible.  It wasn't my choice but she was so right!  It came with a twin CD which holds all the words and stories in the actual Bible and I am finding you in your room with the CD playing on your iPod while you follow along with the book.  L.O.V.E.

You are loving our 'new' Church and really enjoying Kids Church.  Not at first because of change, but last week you were happy to go without a backward look.  Once again a happy/sad mummy moment.

I love you my sweet child....and miss the yesterdays as I look forward to the tomorrows xx

Random April memories

This is our absolutely beautiful and amazing view.  We are blessed indeed!

Today is a very special birthday for our friend Rod.

They were so kind to us and invited us out to the amazing Ivory Rooms in Tawonga South.

It was a very special night and Ebony and Rod had good fun as they always do!

Nothing special....just love this profile pic

This day was the local 'Music Muster'.  I don't usually go, but I volunteered to help on the food tent for the School.  We had a blast!  I planned to stay an hour and stayed about 4.  You loved it too and ran around everywhere checking things out.

We rode our bikes and before we left we tried one of these 'potato twirl' things.  They were VERY moorish....but probably very bad for us too!  Lucky we rode :)

Just beautiful blowing mummy a kiss <3 p="">

...and a little taste of Autumn in Mt Beauty

and there was, amongst it all, your much loved gymnastics...

A new skill on your bike.....

Today you did it!  After much deliberation (well, probably not a lot really!) you managed to ride your bike down our street!

The last time we tried you were terrified.

We live on a VERY steep street and I don't blame you at all for being a bit fearful.....but after our recent trips around town....and a few attempts at braking downhill....you mastered it!

Today was your first day back at school after the holidays and we've had a big end to them so I really didn't know how you would feel about riding.....especially on your own bike.

You see, for the last few years when we've riden to school, you've been on the 'tag-a-long' so we both pedal but I brake, steer etc.

Now I can sell the tag-a-long and I know you'll be fine on your own.

So, so proud of you.  I wish I could show how steep our street is but I can't.

Here are some photo's of you riding....not today but only a week or so ago.

Friends and a visit to Bright

My dear friend Mel, her husband Andrew and their little princess Sophia came to visit.

I met Mel through my first online Photography Course.

We hit it off pretty quickly and we've been friends ever since (course was in Jan 2011).

They have come to visit a few times now and it's lovely to spend time with a like minded photographer.

Here are some images of our fun time when we visited Bright on their last day.

If only.....

You would have made such a beautiful big sister.

I have watched you over the past week as we've visited some of your Suixi sisters and now you have little Miss Sophia here.  You are gentle, you are kind, you are thoughtful.

A perfect big sister.

I feel so very proud of you.

For all your problems at the moment you are shining in the ways that are really important.

I'm seeing how much you are growing and how much more grown up you are.  This week more than any other I've noticed a big change.  You have just moved up a level in your understanding and in your ability to be thoughtful and caring of others.  Yesterday we took Miss Sophia (just 4) to the shops and you helped her with her seatbelt, helped her out of the car, held her hand as we walked around the shops then you took her to the right side of the car and got her into her carseat before getting in yourself and making sure her belt was fastened.

You are playing games with her that I thought you might not want to because they are such young games but you are willing to be there for her and just play whatever Miss Sophia wants to play.

You even wake with a sheepish smile on your face when Miss S has come in and woken you when you are definitely not ready to be woken.  7 1/2 has shown me a little girl who prefers to sleep in a bit whenever she can!

You are my sunshine sweet girl.  You are my world.  You make me very proud xx

A year in pictures

It arrived!

366 days of beautiful memories of you.

I took up a challenge to take a photo a day.

It was hard....but it's been so worthwhile.

What a memory...what a year!

Not pretty....but still beautiful

Funny title I know but I wanted to add this photo.  

The pondage has been drained and will be for some time while repairs go on.

It's different.....it's not pretty.....but it's still beautiful.

Melbourne, Ballarat, Melbourne, Mt Beauty

Now we're in Ballarat for 3 nights. 

Another few days of jam packed fun!

We visited the plaster fun house where you both had a ball painting plaster and taking your creations home

some fun at 'home'

then we went ten pin bowling.....

then it was the highlight....a visit to Sovereign Hill.  I haven't been there since I was young and it was so much fun!  It was stinking hot....but it didn't matter.

You did so many (free) activities.  It's a great place to go to.

First there was biscuit decorating....

then some fun times walking through the historic buildings....

then it was hat making.....

a coach ride

and some gold panning....

oh! and candle decorating with coloured wax.....

and another dose of pin bowling the old way :)