Photo a Day May Challenge - Week 3

Day 15 - Love

 The unconditional love of mother and child. My little Lucas' cute chubby hands

Day 16 - What you're reading

Hunger Games Trilogy for the second time. Love it!

Day 17 - Snack

Berry smoothie and tomato and cottage cheese topped Kavali crispbread

Day 18 - Something you made 

Blueberry Muesli muffin

Day 19 - A favourite place

Seeing as I've visited New Zealand 9 times - it's up there as one of my favourite places :) This pic is Lake Wanaka, South Island

Day 20 - Something you can't live without

My little family xo



Day 21 - Where you stand

Quick shop @ Aldi

Day 22 - Pink

Montana in her pink stockings - so cute! 

Happy Days in May Project - Weeks 3 and 4

Happy Days in May Project Challenge - writing one sentence on what made me happy each day for the month of May.

Day 15

Finding out that my friend Darcel safely delievered a healthy baby boy McCaw :)

Day 16

Dancing with Keira to dance songs - her moves make me laugh :)

Day 17

Thursday - My favourite TV night - Home and Away, Greys Anatomy, Desperate Housewives and Private Practice :)

Day 18

Play time with the twins who are rolling around on their backs and back to onto their tummy :)

Day 19

A beautiful sunny day to do all my washing :)

Day 20

Spending time with the extended family over delicious Timorese food :)

Day 21

Catching up with NZ family via Skype :)

Day 22

 Keira got sent home from childcare for having green snots so we had some quality one on one time when I picked her up and we went to the shops and to the Dr's :)

Day 23

I  found out that my fave tennis player Rafael Nadal is back at World number 2 after beating Novak Djokavich at the Rome Cup finals :)

Day 24

Keira was well enough to go back to child care so the twins and I got to hang out with my mum all day running errands at Westfield, lunch and shopping at Costco :)

Day 25

Eating the delicious cream puffs from Costco for morning tea with a nice cup of strawberry and cranberry tea :)

Day 26

All the kids napping at the same time gave me an opportunity to scrub the bath tub sparkling clean, vacuum/ mop floor and clean out the fridge and kitchen :)

Day 27

Dees slept over and accompanied the kids and I to church so I actually got to enjoy all the Sacrament talks :)

Mother's Day 2012

This Mother's Day I am so grateful to be a Mother of 3 beautiful and healthy children. Last year I was a mummy to 1 and I love saying that I have children instead of a child as I've always wanted more than one and we were so blessed to add another two babies at the same time :)

I remember the first time I ever found out I was going to be a mum through a positive pregnancy test - I ran out the bathroom to Damien, and gave him a hug and just cried - tears of shock and absolute joy. I always try to remember that feeling when I experience the 'challenging' days when there are is non stop crying, tantrums and sore shoulders to remind me how much I wanted to be a mother.

I am also grateful to be able to share this day with my own beautiful mother who is the best mother anyone can ask for. She loves her children and grand children unconditionally and will do anything for us. There are times when I don't know what I'll do without my mother! She is such a great example to me and I wish that one day my children will feel and know how much I love them as much as I do with my own mother.

Mother's Day is a when you celebrate your mother (which I did) and seeing as my children are too young to spoil me with gifts and acts of love - I celebrated being their mother but then this when the husband steps in right? I'm grateful that he took us to a family dinner the night before to one of my fave buffets - Sizzlers followed by making a delicious breakfast on Mother's Day. I think he also mentioned taking me to a massage I really want (need) which I will eventually hold him to but until then I can't complain as I really had a blessed day :) xo

Family photo @ Sizzlers for our family Mother's Day dinner

Mother's Day breakfast of croissants, blueberry pancakes and fresh juice made by hubby :)

Photo a Day in May Challenge - Week 2

Day 9 - Something you do everyday

Change Nappies :P An average of 15 times a day!!

Day 10 - A favourite word

We are blessed with one life, so we should 'Live Every Moment' (Taken at the Simpsons place)

 Day 11 - Kitchen

After living for 2 weeks without a fridge - I realised how much I took it for granted! Our new fridge is my favourite kitchen items

Day 12 - Something that makes you happy

 

Max Brenner's chocolate fondue with strawberries, banana bread and marshmellows - yum!

Day 13 - Mum

Three generations - My beautiful Mum, my two gorgeous daughters Montana and Keira and I. What a blessed Mother's Day!

Day 14 - Grass

Backyard grass - not too creative :P

Happy Days in May Project - Week 2

Happy Days in May Project Challenge - writing one sentence on what made me happy each day for the month of May.

Day 9

Fitting 'comfortably' into my size 12 skinny jeans :)

Day 10

A fun day out shopping and lunch in Parramatta with the twins, Dees and Evie and finding out that Dees has not one but two guys who want to date her :)

Day 11

Damien had a day off and our party of 5 went to Sizzlers for an early Mother's Day dinner :)

Day 12

I volunteered to do Mother's Day gift wrapping at a local shopping centre to raise money for the Cancer Council :)

Day 13

Hubby made Mother's Day breakfast of croissants, blueberry pancakes and freshly squeezed fruit juice and I got to spend the afternoon with my own beautiful mamma :)

Day 14

I finished the third and final book of the Hunger Games Trilogy (read all three in 3 days) and I'm sooo happy with the ending :)

Aunty Dees move and Oz visit from Aunty Lance

My sister in law Dees moved on  the weekend from Marrickville to Matraville to live with two cousins Leanne and Rosie. Cousin Evelyn was there to help and sister Elena (aka Lance) came from NZ to help with the move too.

Seeing as Damo was working on Sat - he could only help on Sun as the designated Van driver as no one else had a drivers licence or could drive manual :P (on my to learning list)

It was great to see Aunty Lance and especially for her to meet the twins for the first time :) The move went smoothly as the girls did the bulk of the work on Saturday. Lance was going back to NZ early Monday morning so we all slept over at Matraville to spend as much time together with Aunties Dees, Lance, Evie, Rosie and Leanne. There was plenty of room, mattresses and doonas for everyone. We had heaps of fun, laughs and bonding moments over pizza.

The next day Damo dropped Lance off at the airport, returned the hire van and went to work. The aunties, kids and I slept in, had Chinese for lunch and watched black movies. It was extra relaxing for me as there was an aunty per child so I was practically child free for most of the day except for nursing the twins :) I'm so grateful to have inlaws who love my children and that my children have plenty of family to play with and spoil them with hugs and kisses. My arms were also grateful for the rest lol :) xo

Damo, Lucas, Montana and Lance

 

Aunty Lance and Monie

Aunty Dees and Lucas Balucas

Keira all ready for the sleep over

The move

Family bonding over pizza

Meeting Baby Max McQueen

One of the best things of not working and being home with the kids is the opportunity to have play dates and catch ups with other mother friends and their kids. Darcel is one of my good friends who has 3 young boys ages 4,3 and 20 months old with another boy due in a few weeks. She is a super mummy! Last week the twins and I went over to Darcel's parents place for a catch up/ playdate with Darcel, her youngest boy Kingston and her sister Jaslyn and her 6 week old baby son Max who were visiting from Kalgoolie, Western Australia. Keira and Darcel's eldest two Cassius and Phoenix were at child care so the three of us had a great afternoon relaxing and chatting about the kids, motherhood and took some cute pics of the babies.

5 months old Lucas and Montana with 6 week old  cutie Max

Take 2: Lucas, Montana and Max

Later we picked up the older kids and let's just say that things were much more hectic and noisy than our peaceful and relaxed afternoon! Earlier, we both told Jaslyn to enjoy baby Max as this cute baby stage because life is quite different when they become toddlers and when number 2 etc come along but Jaslyn the trooper just smiled her sweet smile and said that she couldn't wait to have more babies! So here is Jaslyn holding the twins to have a taste of having two babies! lol

Photo A Day in May Challenge

Day 5 - Bird

 

Time was running out for today's photo challenge of bird so what a stroke of luck when Sally and her owner came and sat on the next table when I was at Chocolate Room!

 

     Day 6 - You

This was taken in my car's side mirror. Pic turned out pretty good once I applied some photo app magic - even hubby was impressed!

 

Day 7 - Someone that Inspires you

I would love to bake and cook like Donna Hay!

 

Day 8 - A Smell you Adore

                                                                                                              

 My Carribean Salt City Candle

Choosing my new glasses

The picture below of my new Alex Perry glasses prompted me to write the story of how I got them.

A few weeks ago Damien had a day off on a Thursday so we all went late night shopping to get some new glasses and make the most of our health cover with Medibank. Spec Savers has a 2 for 1 offer which we got last year so we decided to go back there again. It's always a feat going out with all three kids especially if they need to be nappy changed or the babies need nursing so we always try to make our family shopping trip as short as possible so that it can be an 'enjoyable' family outing. We booked an appointment with Spec Savers for an hour's time and then we had dinner in the food court. It was then that I started to feel unwell with a looming headache. We went back to Spec Savers and I was alone with the three kids while Damien went to get his eyes re-tested. I didn't need to do mine as my last eye test one was done within a year. The kids were all well behaved and I went about looking for my pair of glasses. The sales assistant Leo kept on disapproving of my choices - they were too round , too heavy for my face or didn't sit on the bridge of nose properly etc etc. I know he was just doing his job and at first I liked his honest opinion but I just wanted it to be over with already when my headache started to pound a little more loudly. All of a sudden one of the twins started crying which set the other one off and Keira got bored of the iphone and started to touch things and my headache was getting worst by the minute. Damien came out and he started to look for his pair of glasses and after a few minutes of pain - my headache started to become unbearable and all I wanted to do was go home and lie down. So, I told Leo to choose which ever glasses he thought would suit me. He gave me 4, I tried them on, hardly looking in the mirror and told him to choose whichever 2 he thought looked best. 'We' chose two Alex Perry glasses - one for everyday wear and one with a bit of bling for going out. Poor Damien also ended up quickly choosing one with Leo's approval and just ordered the same kind but one as sunglasses for his second pair. We finally went home, I took a panadol and went straight to sleep with the babies.


A few days later Spec Savers called to say that our glasses were ready for pick up. I was a little nervous as I had little recollection of the glasses I had 'chosen' and I hoped that Leo had made the right decision on my behalf. When I saw them I was very pleasantly suprised that they both looked good and when I tried them on, I was relieved that they actually looked decent on me. Damien was also really happy with his new glasses as well. Phew! Thanks Leo! It's heartening to know that there are sales people out there who actually care about their customers and do a great job :)

Happy Days in May

Day 5

Mint hot chocolate and chocolate fondue with the lot at the Chocolate Room with my kids whilst catching up with one of my fave cousins Lindsay :)

Day 6

Hanging out with my sister in law Elena who is visiting from NZ and bonding with my husband's family over a pizza pyjama sleep over :)

Day 7

Lazy day in with Dees, Evie and Leanne watching black movies and having the aunties bond with the kids which gave my arms a little rest :)

Day 8

Receiving our Family photos CD from EyeLovePhotography in the mail and seeing the rest of the fabulous photos of our party of five :)

Photo a Day in May

Day 3 - Something I Wore Today

My new Alex Perry glasses :)

Day 4 - Fun!

 Baking treats, taste testing and eating them when they're ready. Yum! :)

Happy Days in May Project

Day 3

I had an enjoyable afternoon catching up with Darcel and Jaslyn on the joys of motherhood and meeting gorgeous 6 week old baby Maxi :)

Day 4

Hubby made us a healthy, fresh and delicious fruit juice with a our new juicer :)

Pho 76

Pho 76 in Green Valley is my favourite Chinese restaurant.  I have been dining there ever since I can remember. When I was a teenager, I used to go there for family dinners and to celebrate birthdays and when we did, we always bumped into someone we knew who lived locally because it's so popular. As I got older, I would dine there with my friends and then I took my husband there and it became his favourite Chinese restaurant too. I've been there so many times, I think I have just about tried everything on their menu. When I was pregnant with my first baby, I had cravings for their Salt and Pepper Squid and by the time I had Keira, I was Pho'd out!  We love it because it is cheap, has fast service and the food is delicious. 

Last Saturday, Keira, Montana and I went to have lunch at Pho's with my dad, sister Flavia and her son Jaime. My mum was supposed to come too but she ended up staying home with Lucas and my sister's baby Liam as they had some unexpected guests dropping in. Just as well as us three adults had our hands full with the two kids and one baby! We don't go there as often now but when we do - the food is still as delicious! Keira and Jaime liked it too - so I guess they are the next generation of Pho 76 lovers :)

We ordered Spring rolls, Fried whole fish (Dad's favourite), Sizzling Mongolian Lamb, Vegetables in oyster sauce, Singapore Noodles and fried rice. Yum!

Photo a Day in May Challenge

Day 2 - Skyline

Taken from my front yard in Casula

Happy Days in May Project

Day 2

Hubby Damien left me his chocolate cannoli that I bought for us yesterday as he knew it was my 'favourite'  so I had a yummy morning tea :)

Twins @ 5 months

The twins are 5 months old today! They are growing up so quickly. They are both rolling onto their bellies, grabbing hold of anything and everything, laughing and smiling a lot and  they are also starting to do a lot of talking. This is such a cute stage when they are starting to interact more with everyone. I love how they recognise me and give me a big, drooly smile when they see me after they wake up. These are moments to cherish xo

                                      Montana and Lucas @ 5 months old and all smiles for mummy and the camera

Photo a Day May

Day 1 - Peace

                                                                                        

Keira is so full of energy and noise that when she is asleep not only does she look peaceful but it also gives me some 'peace' lol :)   

Happy Days in May Project

Day 1

While out shopping with my twin babies, I think it's so nice of strangers to take the time and thought to stop me and compliment on how beautiful they are :)