Wordless Wednesday - Miss 3 loves the "iPone"

Miss 3... "Nonna can I play on your i-pone?"

 (she can't say F and I am dreading the day she can because its so bloody cute!)

I don't even have an iPhone..Santa please??? (or maybe an iPad...hmmm) 

Linking up with My Little Drummer Boys for Wordless Wednesday. 

New Look

I have been toying with the idea of a new look for my blog for a little while now and the clever Miss Mandy from A Little Space Like Home suggested I try a Christmas feel until I work it out. Great idea!

This is one of the ideas she came up with for me!! Thanks as always for your help and guidance!! 

Hope you like it!!  

Wonderful Weekends - Waterfront & more bollards

This week I am linking up with the lovely Sonia from “Life, Love and Hiccups” who is hosting for the first time her “Wonderful Weekends” Link up.

We had a weekend that was not packed to the hilt and I LOVE that! Helpful husband got up early on Saturday morning to take Miss 6 to Little Athletics but it was rained out AGAIN so they headed off into “town” for a bit of Christmas shopping. I stayed home with Miss 3 just doing some lovely pottering about and general exhaling from the busy week. It rained ALL day so I took the kids to my cousins for a cuppa tea and play in the afternoon – so nice to be able to enjoy a cuppa while the kids play...what else to do on a raining day?

Saturday night, hubby and I got to go to the movies..yay! (Thanks Nonna for babysitting duties!) and we saw the “Ides of March”. Click here for my review!

Sunday was a pretty lovely day and rain all cleared up so we headed off down to the Waterfront in Geelong for a stroll and coffee in the afternoon. I headed down with my mum (dynamo Nonna) while helpful husband took kids to the park near the Botanical gardens.

It was a great Bollard* photo opportunity day and this week I am featuring...Number 24. Sailor and Woman (2) This second World War couple, represent the Sailors’ Rest building, corner Moorabool Street and Eastern Beach Road (now a restaurant).

* BAY WALK BOLLARDS, created by artist JAN MITCHELL.104 painted wooden sculptures around the arc of Corio Bay, from Rippleside Park to Limeburners Point, tell the affectionate history of Geelong, Victoria, Australia. Waterfront Geelong by Baywalk Bollards

Kids and hubby met up with us after their gelati and seeing as it was about 6pm but this time we ordered some dinner from The Wharf Shed Cafe where we were having our coffee and cake. (Honey crunch... v indulgent). The breeze was pleasant and atmosphere jovial. A lovely way to end the weekend! We all commented on how lucky we are to have such a gorgeous spot right on our doorstep

Where we went today:

Wharf Shed Cafe

15 Eastern Beach Road, Geelong, VIC 3220‎

p 5221 6645

I love the movies…”Ides of March”

I LOVE going to the movies. It’s one of my favorite hobbies. I just don’t do it very often since I have had little people to look after. Tonight hubby and I went to see “Ides of March” starring George Clooney and a stack of others such as Ryan Gosling, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Marisa Tomei, and Evan Rachel Wood.
It’s all about the American presidential system and in this instance, the Ohio State Primary – Morris (Clooney) vs Pullman to win the democratic ticket. It’s about starting off in politics with idealism and hope and being sucked into a web of deceit and corruption. Great stuff. If you loved the West Wing (and I did/do – I have the box set) you will love this.

Via Pinterest - http://justwondrful.blogspot.com/2011/07/notable-photographer-jamie-beck.html

You know what else I love about the movies?

a) Usually if I am going these days, it means I am having a break from the kids, god love ‘em
b) Banana choc tops. Hubby goes for mint
c) Always saying we want the medium popcorn and always getting upsold to the large one because “it’s cheaper”
d) Watching the previews and thinking…I should come to the movies more often
e) When the curtains open and it’s all dark
f) The part when the previews end and the movie is about to start and its sooooo quiet except for a few coughs and rustling in seats (that’s my favourite!)

I don’t care what you say, watching a DVD even on a big arse screen

 does not compare to going to the movies. LOVE IT!

Tonight we went to:

Village Cinemas

194-200 Ryrie St,

Geelong

1300 555 400

(Note: I remember coming here when I was a kid. It used to be called the “Village Twin”…now some of the cinemas are named after Geelong Football players e.g. Cinema 5 Garry Ablett – ahhhh G town!)

Grateful to exhale



http://eastcoaststyle.tumblr.com/ via Pinterest 



Today I am grateful to be sitting in my PJs with mug of coffee, morning papers home delivered, little one playing beautifully on her own while I listen to her happy chatter to herself. Ahhhh....so good to exhale....

I had a mini break down mid week where everything seemed so overwhelming. Birthday party organisation, work functions, school functions, friend and family functions, house building, work stress and general fatigue caught up. My mind was too busy and I felt it... but now I feel relaxed. Miss 6 had yesterday off school and I spent all day with my kids really trying to focus on what they wanted to do. It felt really good not to be rushing. We had "eat in" breakie at Maccas and they played on the play equipment for an hour. (Miss 6 has been asking for months, "could we go there one time?" for breakfast so I relented.) When she was in bed at night she asked me what was my favorite part of the day. I said "having breakfast with the 2 of you." She said "me too!...I especially loved when you were sitting up in the play equipment with us playing a game."

I am grateful that I tried to slow down for a day. It was worth it.

Linking up with Maxabella Loves, Grateful Link.

Fairies Concert

This week I took Miss 3 to see “The Fairies” in concert at GPAC (Geelong Performing Arts Centre) with her little cousin and my sister in law. I have to admit I haven’t done as many of these things with Miss 3 as I did with Miss 6.5 so it was really lovely to do this with her.
They looked so cute in their little fairy costumes and were pretty pumped for the “Christmas Ballet show.” GPAC is a great venue, really easy to get to but I completely underestimated the parking situation so had to dump Miss 3 with my sister in law while I dashed off to find a park and then run my heart out to make it back. Luckily I did and all was well. Miss 3 was not phased by my non presence by the way...very happy with her cool Aunty she was!

The kids mostly enjoyed it but I think it was probably a little bit old for them. It probably would have suited Miss 6 a bit better but anyhoo. There was a point where Miss 3 was so fascinated with the flipping up chair, pink biscuit snack and kids behind her that I was wondering why I bothered dishing out for the ticket. Then Santa made a guest appearance near the end and he brought back their interest luckily, as did their joy at running up and down the aisle.

Tickets were about $30 which I think is pretty reasonable for a professional show. The actors, except for one I think weren’t the original from the TV show but the kids wouldn’t have noticed.
I always get stitched up with the souvenirs afterwards (it's a weakness of mine) but I try and buy things vaguely useful, so I came away with 2 fairies water cups and 2 bells (what was I thinking?!)

All in all, a fun little fairy-tastic day! (sorry!)

GPAC

50 Little Malop Street

Geelong VIC 3220

Ph: 03 5225 1200

http://www.gpac.org.au/HOME

Birthday party dilemma.



Via Pinterest - http://www.etsy.com/listing/69624953/clothespin-doll-custom-celebration-cake

I am having a moral dilemma today. We are organising for Miss 6 (soon to be Miss 7) to have a little party with some friends for her birthday.  Her birthday is not actually until the end of January but parties in the school holidays are hard to organise so we want to have a "friend" party now at a play centre, very easy and then we'll do a family thing for the real event.

Now...moral question...do you invite:
-  the whole class?
-  just all the girls?
-  the kids that invited her to their parties?
- only who Miss 6/7 wants to invite?

I am not a drama queen and not trying to make this complicated but I do care about kids' feelings. I also care mostly about Miss 6/7's feelings.

How do the kids feel who don't get an invite? Do they care? Do they not even think of it? Do they go home and cry?

It would be really easy to just invite all the girls and that's that. Except that Miss 6/7 wants to invite some boys too. She doesn't want to invite one kid who always gets a lot of attention because it's her party (even though this kid is quite a nice kid). I can understand her point of view...it's her party.

I posted on facebook about my dilemma and got lots of responses from people (thanks to all of you!). People felt very strongly that you should invite who you want to and stick to your numbers. I am grateful for the advice but I still feel torn. I want to teach Miss 6/7 to be inclusive and care about others and the reality is, she is a kid that does. She genuinely has a kind soul.

I still worry for the poor kid who gets left out. One day that might be my kid.  I guess that's life isn't it?   

Queenscliff beach

Our beach day @ Queenscliff!!!

Llinking up with Trish from My Little Drummer Boys for Wordless Wednesday

Am I a SMOG?



photographed by Anson Smart and styled by Steve Pearce and Lucy Weight for the Donna Hay Kids magazine

Today I read an article that referred to me as a SMOG. *
SMOG you say? “Smug Mother of Girls” It made me giggle. It referred to some of my friends as DMOBs – “Defensive Mothers of Boys”

It made me think about the assumptions we make about our little boys and girls and made me question...”am I really smug about my girls?”

I have to confess I LOVE having girls – maybe because I can relate to them easily and can recognise them in myself? Then there's all that sparkly, shiny, fairy type stuff that I love! Although if I had a boy I am sure I would love him just the same.

When I was pregnant with my no. 2, I was convinced I was having a boy. My pregnancy was so different from the first and as I am one of two, (my sibling being a brother); I just assumed I would have one of each. I really did. So much so that I wanted to find out the sex of the baby for sure so that I wouldn’t go into shock in case I was wrong. My husband didn’t want to know so he left the room and the lady doing the scan told me it was a girl. I asked her 3 times if she was sure. I was shocked but I was glad I could get used to the idea.

I kept my secret so well, not telling anyone (if my husband didn't know I couldn’t share with anyone else) right up until it was time to push and I screamed...”GET HER OUT!!!!!!” Surprised husband looked at me and knew a little lady was coming. He smiled. He has never been the type to pine for son (he is one of 3 boys himself) and has fully embraced the girls in his life!

A lot of my friends have boys and they always say...”lucky you don’t have boys, then you’d know you’re alive”. They do seem different. They seem to have a lot of energy and move a lot.

What the DMOBs don’t realise though is that girls talk a lot...all the time. I get exhausted from the constant noise of chatter and arguing and commentating about everything that moves. My brother dubbed Miss 6. “Little Cometti” after Dennis Cometti, football commentator. It can be so exhausting.

I did think at one time that it would have been nice to “have one of each” but I have to say that I love my pigeon pair and have no desire to “go for a third” to have a little man in the house. I do feel for some of my DMOBs friends though that have a yearning for a little girl. Oh well...boys always love their mammas and ...there’s always the daughter in laws!!! Good grief!

PS I know I have made a lot of generalisations here and my tongue is firmly in my cheek!!

* Article – “The Unfairer Sex” by Angela Mollard. Pg 16 in Sunday (Sunday Herald Sun Magazine)

Our cabin holiday (Queenscliff)

Our al fresco area!

This is my first proper post about our recent little mini break down to Queenscliff. Miss 6 called it our "cabin holiday".We chose to head off somewhere so close to home (about 30mins) because we wanted an easy and stress free holiday where we wouldn’t lose any travel time. It was our first stay at a “Big 4” Caravan Park and we chose Beacon Cove because it had an indoor pool (you NEVER know what the weather will do in Victoria), it had a playground, big jumping pillow and brand new cabins that looked amazing. We were not disappointed.

Kids room!



Master bedroom



ensuite

Can you believe this place is in a caravan park? It was so new, modern and had everything we needed. We had 3 TVs, one in each bedroom and also lounge, 2 bathrooms (no bath though for those with really little kids). It worked out fine for us…after our swim in afternoon, we’d take a child each for a shower and they loved taking it in terms in each “ensuite”.

We loved our little alfresco area with a new Weber BBQ and we ate all our meals there. You could see the little playground from the table and it was great to let the kids go over on their own hand in hand while we watched them.

Our deal included a mussels hamper, free bike hire and the accommodation. It was great value for money. We paid about $800 for 5 nights.

The weather was ok, not great so the indoor pool was fabulous. It had a full length pool with a toddler pool attached and deck chairs outside if you did want to do a bit of sunbaking. We tended to explore a bit during the day and then have our swim in the afternoon. After dinner, either out or at our cabin, we’d take the kids for a jump on the big jumping pillow. It was a really simple but very fun little holiday. Will definitely go back, even for just a night or two for a change of scenery.

More Queenscliff posts to come!

BIG4 Beacon Resort

78 Bellarine Highway,

Queenscliff, 3225,

Australia

Freecall: 1800 351 152

Tel: 03 5258 1133

Email: book@beaconresort.com.au

Website: www.beaconresort.com.au

I'm back!!!

Hellllloooooo!!! I am still alive!!

Holiday me!

I have been on holidays, I have been on a work conference and I have had a bit of an annoying cold that’s made me want to curl up in front of the TV rather than switch on the lap top in the evening. I am grateful to be getting back to some sort of routine (I hope). I have had lots of blogging ideas but no time to action them.


I have also been speaking with the lovely Mandy from “A Little Space Like Home” about a new look for “Back in G Town”. Stay tuned for a Christmas look coming very soon.

Today I am grateful for:

• The opportunity to have gone on a lovely little break with my lovely little family to Queenscliff (more posts to come on that front)
• That our new house is well and truly under construction and that it will be amazing
• That I am starting to organise some lovey Christmas catch ups with friends and family
• That I am actually publishing a blog post for the first time in a couple of weeks!

Cheers,

Mez





Jumping pillow!

We are on holidays this week in Queenscliff ...who doesn't love a big jumping pillow?

Linking up with Trish at My Little Drummer Boys for Wordless Wednesday

(on delay because I'm on holidays!)

Snow domes and tiaras

Who doesn't love a snow dome?

Travelling husband came back today from his trip to Vegas!! It was so exciting...the girls made a sign, nonna made a big lunch, presents were handed out and there were big hugs and kisses!!

I have to say also, that I bloody love a good souvenir and Vegas loving husband did an AMAZING  job with ours!! There were beads and hats that were worn on Halloween, tacky (fabulous) Vegas Princess tiaras, perfumes, Bellagio towells and shampoos (I love posh hotel shampoos!), shoes, T-shirts, mugs and magnets.

He outdid himself and we all felt VERY spoilt. So great to have him home and little bit of Vegas with him! I have to admit that if we do go anywhere we do like a few souvenirs (sometimes crap) to take home ...I try to make it a bit practical so they're not complete dust collectors, but a bit of retail therapy does add to a good trip or day out!

My new shoes!

 

Check this out... Bellagio hotel Pina Colada flavored lip balm!

What's your favorite ever souvenir?