Up The Mountain ...



 

Every time Adam comes home from working away Madison always wants to go up the mountain. The one with the red flashing light! She will ask me everyday, a couple of times through the day, the week before daddy is due to come home.

 

It's her thing, well one of many but it has become a little bit of a regular event. The mountain being Mt Coolum. We have been up there quite a few times and I wont ever forget the first trek we did all together as a family. Best feeling to be out of the house and doing something as a family and Adam piggy backed Madison on the way down cause she was too tired:)

 

Photo courtesy of Above Photography

It is an outing we can go on together that doesn't usually involve crowds, loud noises, florescent bloody lights, overwhelming stinky smells, babies or little people under the age of 4 that might squeal, cry, scream, smell weird or get in her bubble (space), dogs and visually it is pretty calming.

 

We also don't have the added pressures that usually generally go with leaving the house. You know like people starring at us or watching Madison have a meltdown, Madison spitting, telling people to shut up, other stuff and there is a long list, Jaimee could tell you. Ad and I don't have to be on high alert or Madison patrol, well we are but not as intense.

 

We do get to relax while breathing in the ocean air and soaking up the tranquillity too. We get to unwind and get our sanity back, ha, sometimes!! That is definitely a plus in my book even if it is only a little bit of sanity, it all counts right!

 

The other place we love is the beach and this is somewhere we are able to really kick back and watch the girls have fun. Best thing is both of these activities are just around the corner from home and are free. Win Win, I'd say!!

 

You can see the track in the photo of Mt Coolum and you walk right up to the top to the red flashing light. You can't really see it in that pic but Madison knows where the red light is, it's for the planes as the airport is just off to the left and our old house was off to the right about 2 minutes drive away.



 



The girls at the start of our trek and notice the NO dogs allowed sign :)

Ever since we started walking this track we always will stop at the Gruffalo tree. The Gruffalo is one of Madison's favourite books & movies. When I had spotted this tree I thought I'd make it fun and a bit of an adventure. So now each time we come she will check to see if the Gruffalo is home or not!

On that first trek the gorgeous kid told us the Gruffalo story from start to finish and then it was stuck on replay till we got back to the car. She is a very good story teller too, very animated and exactly like the movie funny enough.

 

Hello, are you in there Mr Gruffalo?

Hmm can't see him!



Posing because that's what Madison loves to do :)

 

Maybe he is out walking.

 

I looked mum but he wasn't home!

 

No Gruffalo in his house. Think he has gone for lunch with the mouse. 

 

Stopping for a rest but Madison needs to have a snuggle with her big sista!

Jaimee looking so over joyed with happiness, she gets this all the time, lucky for us I say!!

Bit of a squeeze and then off we go.

 

Half way up and time for a drink break.

It's nice to be out in the sunshine!

 

Looking down on the old Hyatt golf course.



Ready to go again!



Madison likes to be the leader.

 

The J girl & me.

It's hard work climbing mountains.

 

 

Well there was no sign of that Gruffalo but we sure enjoyed our adventure out.

 

This trek we did in early April hence the red faces as it was still very warm weather then. Five and a bit weeks and counting till dad gets home, we will be back then to see if that Gruffalo is home! 

 

A gruffalo, What's a gruffalo ?

A gruffalo! Why, didn't you know?

 

"He has terrible tusks, and terrible claws, and terrible teeth in his terrible jaws"

 

"He has knobbly knees, and turned out toes, and a poisonous wart at the end of his nose"

 

"His eyes are orange, his tongue is black; He has purple prickles all over his back"

 

 

 

 

Steph

x



It's Mother's Day...

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers!

The things my mother taught me...

Always wear clean underwear, hehe, to be tolerant of others, patients is a virtue, have a open mind and an open heart, flexibility is key to everything, don't put all your eggs in one basket, or was that chicken's and if they don't like it who gives a damn!

What my Nanna has taught me...

Stick to your guns, be generous in all aspects of your life, stay strong, don't let anyone tell you it's over until your dead and don't let the bastards get you down!

My lovely mum, Dianne and my wonderful Nanna Janet.

This is what my Sista has taught me...

Say it how it is, don't give up or give in, do what you love to do, family and friends are essential and are to be treasured and valued, love is unconditional, who care's what other people think!

My awesome Sista Bek & me

I love the women in my life and will cherish them forever. xx



So this is how we did mother's day at our house...

Madison and me!

Madison trying to hide with my arm, is it working!!

Jaimee and me!
 

We get a little bit silly here!

Ewww, Madison always surprises you one way or another, haha!

 

 

Time to finish off the mother's day pressie. Madison needed me to make an extra trip to school because she was home with the croup and was so worried mummy wouldn't get her mother's day secret :( Only trouble is, she gave my secret to Adam because he had gone back to work and daddy needed a mother's day secret. Madison's quote "I love daddy on Mother's Day"! Bless her little cotton socks.

 

Daddy gets the cool love heart picture frame.

 

The modern artist look!

Again with that tormented artist look happening!



Madison painted this for me, yay! She had Mad painted on it and she said it's from Madi, I asked if she likes being called Madi and she said yes! I have always called her Madison, funny how you find out things. Again with the artist look, Bwaahhaa!

 

Jaimee with her creative look happening, not quite sure how to explain it, it's a bit like an Austin Powers look, oh behave :) !

My treasures.

My treasures and Ad's love heart because that's how Madison wanted it! Do you love my bowl Madison finished painting. Jaimee had got the sweet little vintage glass dish and soap roses at the mothers day stall at school. Love those stalls, it's always such fun to see what comes home with the girls.

Awesome art work and I love that my card has skulls on it!!

My card is very cool.

This is very cool, Madison has drawn Scrat and scrattie out of the movie Ice age and she has tried to write Madison and Jaimee but she has Chami. So cool.


Love my girls and another great day, thank you my little darlings for making my mothers day so special.

Steph

x

 

 

 

It’s my B Day



So it’s my Birthday today and I am now age 39 years old!

Three years ago this scared me, the getting old thing, really scared me! Still does. Getting closer to 40 kind of meant I was half way to 80 and that just freak’s me out. Only 26 more years and we retire, then what!

I am curious though, about getting old and where that will take me and our family!

For the past few years, the couple of days leading up to the B Day was always full of worry, anxiety and a lot of fear thrown into the mix as well. It happened this time too and I get way to emotional.

 

I guess were I come undone is; I think about my girls and what will become of them when I am older and no longer able to care for them, particularly Madison. At this stage we see it like this, that she will live with us as an adult and grow old with us. I know there are other options out there but she is way too little yet for me to think about that and it just breaks my heart to think of it too. Of course then what becomes of her when we are gone. Scary!

 

Jaimee, we know will be fabulous at what ever she decides to do with her life, career, travel, marriage, kids (hopefully a couple, no pressure there) and she will be independent, confidant and capable of achieving those life milestones. I know Jaimee would always make sure her sister was looked after properly and kept safe, as any sibling would. She does ask frequently if she has to take care of Madison when they are older and that’s a whole other story right there but of course the answer is no.

Is it silly to think those things and feel that fear? I imagine everyone does at one time or another.

 

I do know in my heart that we just have to live each day as it comes especially with Madison. We have no clue as to what she will be like in a year let alone 10 years. For someone like me who needs to be organised this is difficult. I have the year planned out, have goals set, nothing in stone but at least have some direction as to how we would like to see our life flow. Living each day as it comes, is a bit tricky.

 

Ad said to me yesterday, “You should be so happy to of made it to 39, not many people do!’’ He is right of course and I am ever so grateful for the life I have and feel very fortunate to have the family and friends that are in our little circle. He also said “No matter what, we will always have each other, love each other and our girls and we will survive like we have always done”, who knew he was so clever!

I woke up this morning with a smile on my face cause it was my Birthday!!

Today it is a beautiful day, the sun is out and it is glorious!

Adam woke up and gave me a happy birthday kiss. Then went surfing! J

Jaimee helped Madison to come and say a “happy birthday mummy”, to me with kisses and cuddles.

Sent the girls off to school, they did try their hardest to stay home.

Indy our Labrador and I went for a run. Best feeling ever when the sun is out, it’s only 7.30 am and there is a chill in the air as it is getting further into autumn.

 

 

Indy and I met this fellow down at the duck pond on our run.

 

Adam and I went and had a yummy breakfast at a place called My Place. It is down on the esplanade in Coolum across from the beach, perfect!

Naughty French toast with Berries and maple syrup, earl grey tea and a freshly squeezed pineapple juice. Awesome!

 

View from My Place on the esplanade Coolum.

 

Bek, Clay and Miss Scarlett met us for a quick coffee and a birthday prize, love prizes! Love to see Miss Scarlett too; she always makes me so happy and smiley.

 

Miss Scarlett and me

 

Then home again, Ad goes to golf and I get some quiet me time, ahhhh love it!

I got to read my new book, did a little crocheting and put on Mr & Mrs Murder, my new favourite show!

Big birthday prize, then I turned back into mum again.

 

 

      

Love my new prize!

 

Great Birthday for me!!

Ohhh and Ad had a great B Day for me too, surfin, golf, the footy is on and he has some wild turkey that seems to be disappearing fast!! Bwahhaa, it’s nice to share a good day.

 

So I guess the next time my birthday comes around, it’s a big one, 40, Yikes!!!!

 

I’ve got a whole year till that happens and anyway, I hear thirty is the new forty or is it forty is the new thirty, ha, is that what people say to keep old people happy J

Till next time

Steph

x