A seaside break

We have recently returned from our annual week long seaside holiday. This was our 3rd year of heading north and it would have to have been the best yet! Every year it is getting that bit easier (last year we took our surprised package Angus as an 8 week old so that was interesting)

The kids loved the beach and boogie boarding, the weather was gorgeous (in the 40's but perfect for a beach holiday) and my parents also stayed at the same cottages for 5 days . Perfect

There isn't much to do other than go to the beach , or take the kids to the park on the foreshore but that is exactly what we like after the busy festive season!

I'll let the pictures do the talking (photo overload!!);

Playing 'Duck duck goose' with other kids staying at the cottages

Vodka lime and soda, yummmm

And for New Year, the little town put on a wonderful Family Concert on the foreshore grassed area.

The kids had a ball and it was nice to have something to do. We were home by 9:30pm (the down side to having kids that go to bed early is that they want to go home early too!) but a lovely night was had!

The most beautiful children x

The final sunset of 2012, another year, another chapter in our lives and the best is yet to come!

We are booked in again next year and the kids are already talking about it.
The simple things.

A New Year

As hit the final day of this year, of the amazing 2012  , I am left to ponder. To reflect and to cherish.
Ponder all the things I would change , given a time machine. Reflect on the amazing times, lots shared with loved ones and cherish. Cherish these memories as our treasures for the rest of our lives.
Pretty special really.

This year has bought with it many challenges and personal issues for me.
Situations that I placed myself in that I regret. And although my husband has always told me to not live with regret. I find that very hard advice to  use sometimes.

Writing has always been a love of mine, ever since a was a kid. I used to love writing books and letters and often pretend to be a library teacher at home. Placing all of my own books in my room in alphabetical order, and I wasn't very old either!
I have really really enjoyed writing this blog. Its been good for the soul, and often makes me think clearer and feel better after I have debriefed.
But this blog has also proved that not all things are read as I write them. Not all things are interpreted as I meant them. I guess that is the joy and sorrow that comes with a written word.
I feel so grateful and blessed that I have 4 amazingly beautiful children. A gift that not everyone is lucky enough to receive and I count my blessings each and every day. I feel so lucky to be able to be at home with them, to be able to love and nurture them all day as a stay at home Mum, and I can not think of a more rewarding or joyful job in the world.

I have recently started to take some time out for myself. Something that I have always struggled with , but am thoroughly enjoying now. I am playing sport again, scrap booking and taking opportunities to duck to the shops 'childfree' more than I have during the last 5 years, just of late.
I am never going to be a person that can go to something during the day, guilt free, but I have accepted that. Sometimes I wish I did, or could, but I am happy with what I have been achieving without the kids. It is quite liberating!

As we head into a New Year, I want to wipe the slate clean. Free myself from any baggage and negativity as we start a new year over.
As far as New Years Resolutions go, I would love to catch up on our family scrapbooks, create some time each week/fortnight to keep up to date or finish any existing projects that I hadn't managed to with the children around.
I would love to continue to play team sports, its hard yakka to get out the door but its all made worth it with the fun that I am having .
I would love some more (we only had 2 this year) nights out with just my husband, to go to a quiet movie, grab a pizza and beer at a cafe or just go for an after dinner and peak hour coffee.
But really, above all else, I just would love a happy and positive year. A year of love and laughter. A year of friendship and family. A year of telling and showing the people I care for, just how much I appreciate them.
A year for random acts of kindness, for forgiveness and for self growth.
What more could a person want , if not to be happy and healthy. A factor of life that unfortunately , not all people are lucky enough to have x


So, as we head into the year 2013, may you cherish your loved ones, make the most of every opportunity and have a happy and safe New Year!
I am so looking forward to a year of blogging, of spreading the love through the web and sharing the journey with you.

Whatever you may be doing tonight, stay safe xo
Much love

A little beachside Getaway

Boxing Day, amist wrapping paper, boxes, presents and a house that looked like a bomb had hit it, we were packing and getting ready to go on a family holiday.

Not just any old holiday, but the first, for our family of 5!! How excitement!!

Even if it was just an hour up the road, it was a getaway. And..... it was fantastic!!

Our poppets in our new Sun Shelter

Looking out the the beach, the water was gorgeous!

Horrocks is such an amazing place. A sleepy, seaside, shack town that was originally a getaway destination for the surrounding farmers, now a top spot for families like us.
We would wake up (early of course) have breaky and head to the beach early, usually about 8am, have fun in the water, build sandcastles, have morning tea and just enjoying doing whatever tickled our fancy.
Head back to our Chalet for lunch and a sleep for the kids, and parents too, and then the park for the arvo.
Throw in some arvo nibbles and drinky poo, playing games, reading books, blowing bubbles, swinging the float swing and chilling out and the holiday was complete, and perfect.
Some days were pretty windy, ok for the beach if you didn't have 2 babies that needed the shade and a Sun Shelter that would need to stand up to the wind. These mornings we made pancakes, and played games.
Our babies were so good as to sleep on a towel in the Shelter whilst we played on the sand and in the water. What gems!!

Stella and Dad, playing at the park

Peekaboo!

So clever now!

A true Daddy's girl!

The twins having a sleep at the park

What a hunk-a-spunk!!

Ahhhh, the daily arvo ritual!! See Noel and Stella in the background playing with the swing!

Butter wouldn't melt!



How devine!! Both babies popped teeth whilst we were away and still remained their beautiful selves!! 



2 peas in a pod!



Making Sandcastles



Blowing bubbles

Big boy plum tuckered on New Years Eve with Grandma

My parents came up for the night for New Years Eve, and we celebrated with a yummy barbeque and some cheesecake, sat around talking and actually saw the Year in, we all headed to bed within a few minutes however.
Stella went to bed hours earlier but awoke with some noise around the place, and so we le ther up to help celebrate.

All in all, we had a ball on our holiday, I read a book, like the whole thing, which I have not done in ages, we had day sleeps with the kids, we spend quality time together after a hectic few months and we loved every minute!!
We have booked in for next year, and will make it an annual event, and even book Stella in to swimming lessons there in the next few years.

I hope everyone enjoyed their New Years Eve's, regardless what you were doing!!