December 2019

And here we are...at the most magical month of the year...12 of 12!

Ofcourse, that also means that Jeffelf, our crazy elf is back yet again and up to his usual mischievous elfself messy antics.

Thursday 5th 

Well...this is it!  My final exam (Ethics & Law) of my first degree!  I am heading in already knowing I've achieved a 'P' which I have to say is a massive load off.  BUT of course, I want the D or HD...so here's hoping that I can remember it all once I have to put it to paper. 

Well, I did it!  Last exam of the Bachelor of Complementary Medicine Degree is COMPLETE!  

I cannot even begin to describe how bloody proud of myself I am for sticking it out and seeing it through these past three years.  Omgoodness, there were many times I was ready to quit, to throw it in the too hard basket and give up...but I bloody well hung in there!  Gotta say though, if it wasn't for the amazing friendships I have made throughout this course, I probably would of packed it in BUT knowing that we were all in it together made a world of difference.  I have to mention the sacrifices my family made with me spending so much time studying, especially my husband who came to the rescue when I had my many 'moments'.  Also my amazingly patient friends who understood when I cancelled catch ups or just refused to schedule in anything fullstop.  My massage clients who were always happy to hear about my new subjects, and understood when I had to reschedule due to assessments or exams.    Thank you ALL!

Although final results won't be released till December 20th, and Graduation till May 2020...I head off to bed tonight knowing that one more thing has been ticked off the bucket list YOU BLOODY LITTLE RIPPER!  Oh just so you know...its not the last of my study days, but one degree at a time hey!

Monday 9th 

WOW, I am absolutely blown away by all of the birthday love I've gotten today.  THANK YOU all so much for making me feel so special.  What a true blessing it is to be on this journey called life, alongside each and everyone of you.

Thursday 12th

I forgot to tell you that Mark had his cystoscope on the 6th of November.  Right now they are opting not to operate but instead Mark has to self cathertarise everyday...today is day 1 of that process.

Friday 13th, Saturday 14th, Sunday 15th

The boys went to their Dads this weekend.  Mind you, it took a little convincing on my part.

Wednesday 18th

The weather has been a little more on the cold side of late, so its really nice to finally have a proper summers day.  Whilst I have to work, the boys and their friends are all heading down the local pool to enjoy the start of their school holiyays!  First time the boys have gone down without me being there...yup, they are growing up!

Soooo I finished work and went down to the pool to cool off AND stepped on a bloody BEE!!!!  OUCHHHHHHH!!!!!  Which reminds me, tomorrow I will call council and see what can be done about the bees, as there is a heap of them and I really don't want Jazz being stung as he is allergic to them.

Friday 20th

Results released and *drum roll please*

You freaking little ripper....Double HD's 

OMGOSH what an awesome way to wrap it up!  And here I was, thinking that I wasn't going to pass this semester.

Christmas Eve EVE 23rd

Magic Reindeer Food made and scattered, Christmas Lights explored, Carrot, Water and Cashews out for Santa and the Reindeer, Feet up and Baileys after a big night!

Christmas EVE 24th

Santa actually came a day early for us this year and the boys spent the day on Christmas eve exploring their abundance of gifts, whilst Mark and I prepared Turkey, Potato Salad and a Choc Ripple Wreath for our family Christmas feast (can't believe I forgot to take a photo, it looked amazing even if I do say so myself).  That night we also started a new tradition of giving an early gift.  As full as the day was, it was also really relaxing.

Christmas 25th

Christmas morning started with an early visit from Dad (Glenn), Uncle Dean and Quincy, where we exchanged gifts, had a croissant breakfast and then just sat and enjoyed each others company.

At 11am the four of us piled into the car and headed to Torquay.  Aunty Skeet and Uncle Jezz set up a lovely table, adorned with special homemade cookies and a scratchie (Ace was the only winner scoring himself $2), and we all enjoyed a delicious lunch of cold meats and a variety of salads.  After lunch it was time for presents...and omgoodness, Mapa well and truly spoiled all the grandkids, so much so they were gobsmacked!  Yummy dessert was next on the agenda (although how we fit in it, who knows!), followed by a game of Secret Santa...so much fun.  

Then it was time to load up the car, pile in, and head home again.

Once home, the boys were given their final gift of the day, and then it was time to head off to bed.

Boxing Day 26th

Today Mia spent the day with us, and we all went over to Werribee and celebrated Christmas with the NZ whanau (family).  It was such a lovely day, I really need to make more of an effort to catch up with my family more often.

Merry Christmas everyone.  May you all feel blessed in some small way today, whether it be due to receiving gifts, the ability to give gifts, the gift of a love ones presence, the ability for yourself to be fully present in the festivities, or simply just because you are grateful for this new day.  

Friday 27th

The boys were supposed to go to Glenn's this weekend so that they could catch up with the Smith family for Christmas celebrations BUT he didn't bother to show up!

Saturday 28th

Received a concerned message from Glenn's next door neighbour tonight.  Long story short, Glenn was passed out in his lounge room, we went to assist, we discovered that Jo was there (hiding in the dark...despite Glenn being asthmatic and being passed out for over half hour...WTF would she have done IF he didn't come too!?!), I went psycho, Glenn made the choice to stay with her rather than come out and make things right with his kids, who were majorly pissed off at him.  You remember right, their father chose the same HER that HIT our SON!  The same HER that continued to TOUCH our SON even though HE TOLD HER NO!  WTAF is he thinking...of yeah, that's right, the wrong head is doing the thinking.

Sunday 29th

Jazz stood on a bee at the pool, eeeekkk just gotta keep an eye on it and hope and pray that he doesn't have a major reaction!

Tuesday 31st

So, on one hand the years seem to be flying by, and yet on another, this one felt like it was never going to end; although I think a big part of that for me, is more to do with winter.

As per the years before, 2019 was filled with ups and downs, smiles and frowns and everything in between. I learnt from my mistakes and failures, grew stronger from the things that challenged me and embraced all positives that life presented.

And here we are, at the end of 2019. As I say every year, whilst I know that life will not miraculously become the ultimate vision of perfection at the strike of the clock at midnight.  I do believe, that fresh starts are possible at any time you choose to put in the hard yards to make them happen. 

And so, here's to 2020 being one where everyone sees what they want, believes they can make it happen, and then achieves that vision. 

As is always my hope for everyone every single day, I hope 2020 is filled with an abundance of love, light, and peace!

LOVE that is unconditional and unlimited!

LIGHT that makes the shadows disappear and guides your way!

PEACE of mind that brings a stillness to the soul!

What a true blessing it is to be here to see in the end of this year, and the start of another! 

To our treasured friends, Thank you all for being a part of our journey in 2019. We feel truly honoured by the gift of your friendship. We hope our blessings continue in 2020, and that we get to share a memory together.

NEW YEARS CELEBRATIONS!

This year was a quiet NYE spent at home sitting around the fire in the back yard.

Just before midnight we all jumped in the car, and drove to Tabcorp Park to watch the fireworks.

And that's that for 2019...not the best, not the worst, but I'm glad I lived it and have gotten to see in the start of a new year.  Catch you in 2020!

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Hello 2019

January 1st 2019

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!

This morning after a little sleep in we sat on the patio and had a breakfast of bacon and eggs...always tastes so much nicer when cooked for you and when served with LOVE!

We then took our first family selfie of the year...albeit looking in the wrong direction LOL!

The rest of the day was spent playing in the vineyard dam - kayaking, paddle boarding, rowing and swimming.

I think Jazz spent more time in the water than on anything LOL.

So good to see Ace push past fears and give things a go!

Cutest moment!  Also ultra hilarious watching them row a boat together for the very first time...once they stopped going in circles they even explored the reeds.

Papa Bear was never far away and even went in for a splash himself!

We enjoyed a picnic lunch on the banks and then had more play time.

Eventually we got the motivation to head back to the house, where the kids got to have a ride on the back of the 4WD ute and I got a tour of the vineyard while Mark hooned home in his little snow flake (he soooo needs a 4WD)!

We had a a bbq tea and then headed off on the journey home...well, after a detour through Marks old stomping grounds anyway!

Gotta say, it was an absolutely PERFECT way to celebrate the first day of the new year!  A huge thank you to this bloke to inviting us over.  Also gotta say that I loved the way the kids all got along so well.

It was so hard to leave and come home (we could very easily live up that way), but at the same time home is always nice to come home to.

Besides we have a 15th birthday celebration tomorrow...stay tuned for the next blog all about that!

Hope you all had a wonderful start to 2019 also xo

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Last day of 2018

After work today we packed the car and headed off (not before yet another little ocd anxiety moment on my part...keeping it real) on a two hour road trip to spend the night with Marks best mate (Anthony aka Packer) and his family.

As it turns out Packer lives on a 100 acre vineyard in the middle of the Yarra Valley and OMG WOW...picturesque is an understatement.

After a BBQ dinner and a 'pew! pew! pew!' show, where Ace got to hold a rifle for the very first time (he opted out of firing it), we sat on the back patio sipping Bailey's (I find it ironic that we didn't drink wine considering we were in a vineyard) beneath the canopy of stars.  Jazz was stoked that he got to view them through the telegraph (note to self:  figure out how to use ours).  

 

Just before midnight we all piled into the 4WD and took off up the bumpy hill to see the fireworks in Melbourne.  Then it was home again for a nightcap while watching Ch94 (where yet again I missed what bloody house they picked...good thing it reruns so many times LOL) before settling down for a peaceful slumber.

An absolutely beautifully relaxing way to spend the the final hours of 2018.

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Farewell 2018...

And just like that the end of year is upon us, and what a year it has been. One that has certainly been filled with raw and unscripted moments consisting of “the ups, the downs, and everything in between”!

The highlight of 2018 by far was the day that I married my sweet man. Saturday April 21st 2018, what an amazingly magical day that was, one that I will cherish forever.

Sadly, as the saying goes with every up there is a down, and that down was my baby sisters breast cancer diagnosis. The battle she has fought this year has been one that I wish I had the ability to erase, but she has done it with courage and grace and in my eyes she takes the stand next to my Mum as the two strongest woman I have the honour of calling my family.

The in-betweens that float amongst the ups and downs are plentiful. I cherish the wonderful memories that were created, and embrace the lessons learnt from those moments that were more challenging.

As I say farewell to 2018 and welcome 2019, I am enough of a realist to know that past mistakes, hurts, hurdles, and trials will not miraculously disappear at the striking of the clock at midnight. However, I am also enough of an optimist to believe that what lies ahead is far greater than anything we leave behind, and with a positive mind and an open heart anything is possible.

With that said, I am wishing you all a 2019 full of everything that life has to offer. May the ups see your smiles shine so brightly that the shadows surrounding the downs dissipate as quickly as they arrive. As for the in-betweens, may they be bountiful and joyful so that you can look back upon the memories knowing that you truly lived every moment.

So, from me to you on this second last day of 2018, I hope 2019 is filled with an abundance of love, light, and peace!

LOVE that is unconditional and unlimited!

LIGHT that makes the shadows disappear and guides your way!

PEACE of mind that brings a stillness to the soul!

I feel truly blessed that I get to see the end of another year and welcome in the new one!

x

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Goodbye 2017...

As I sit here on my back veranda watching my boys ride on their scooters, making vlogs for their YouTube accounts with rap music playing in the background (omgoodness...if they play this same song again for the fifth time, I may just have to blame the lyrics for my insanity LOL), I thought it would be a good time to write a goodbye 2017 blog.

What a year it has been!  Not the best, not the worst, just simply what it was!  

Jan - Ace became a teenager, we went on a family camping trip into the bush for 8 days, we celebrated Keanas 4th birthday and Kohdens 1st birthday - and what a year it was for him!

Feb - Ace started high school, Jazz started his last year of primary school, we went back to court and also celebrated our friends Nicole and Anthony's engagement.

Mar - My tonsil saga was finally over, Ace went to Phillip Island, We fare welled our friends who travelled this beautiful country of ours for six months - oh how we wish to do the same one day!

Apr - Family holiday to Tasmania and we lost our precious Tatt who was our family pet for 13 years - oh how I miss him every single day.

May - Life went on despite depression being hard to bare

Jun -  Jazz turned 12 and Ace got sick which saw us spend two weeks in hospital - we are so very blessed to have him with us today.

July - I got pneumonia, Jazz got severe tonsillitis and Ace was incredibly ill so the boys were home schooled by Marky for the month.

Aug - Boys went back to school, I landed on my feet and we went back to court for two full weeks.

Sept - We watched Jazz in his Grade 6 production.

Oct - Jazz went to Canberra.

Nov - We spent another 2 weeks in court.

Dec - Jazz had his tonsils out, performed in his last primary school concert, graduated from Primary School.  Ace finished his first year of high school.  I finished my first year of Uni.  We won the court case we had been fighting.

Of course there is so much more not mentioned...like hospital trips for Mums chemo and Mark's prostatitis bouts, date nights, family outings...ups, downs, smiles, frowns and everything in between!

Do I hold any high hopes for 2018?  Nope!

It will be what it is, until it is something different!

Kind of seems cynical doesn't it?  Perhaps even a little lack lustered.  Maybe its because I'm feeling a little off colour at the moment, or maybe its because I am at peace with my life right now...a bit of both I think.  

Of course I have hopes that I plan to manifest into reality this coming year, but in all honestly I have also learnt that things change along the way...whether its because life throws us a curve ball or because we change the goal posts...either way, things change!  

I haven't always done that well with change in the past and tried to control things way too much, seeing me come unstuck. This year, I am going to choose to just allow things to be what they are.  In doing that, I can then then choose the way I react to them!  As simple as that!

So as I sit here now, reflecting...what I can say with my hand placed firmly upon my heart, is that I feel so utterly and truly blessed that I have my family here with me today, that Mum is still a big part of our lives, that my little sister and her family are happy and healthy, that I have friendships that I cherish dearly, that I have an extended family that accepts me and my boys as part of theirs and lastly...that I get to see the end of 2017 and the start of 2018.

So from me to you on this last day of the year.  Whatever it is that you choose 2018 to be, I hope it is filled with an abundance of love, light and peace!

LOVE of yourself and of others!

LIGHT that ignites the spark within and sets your soul on fire!

PEACE within your heart and all around you!

Love, Light and Peace from me to you!

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