Monday 31 December 2012

Happy New Year


What a stunner of a day we had to welcome in 2013!! The weather was absolutely perfect and was such a nice change to the dreary weather we got for Christmas only a week ago. Just perfect for our picnic at the beach :)

New Years Day 2013 - Browns Bay Beach
 This was our group (+ Shylah, Pod & I who were on the other side of the table)


The Happy Man :)








This pic was taken just after Mell had finished telling us that 
she's made all of Seffy's baby food since he started eating a few 
weeks ago.....
I told her I wasn't sure he was too keen on her homemade baby 
food when he's resorting to chewing on his feet instead lol


The guy below HARD OUT looked like Carl. 
No-one could believe it, it was so uncanny!!!




Sunday 30 December 2012

Goodbye 2012, it's been nice knowing you


Pics from the date Mac & I went on to see the Telecom tree   
               

It's hard to believe that today is the last day of 2012??!! This year has just flown by for me & has definitely been the CRAZIEST, but also one of the BEST years of my life (thus far :).... looking forward to many more to come!)

This year I've had challenges & trials that have pushed me to my limit on soooo many levels, but as I've held fast to the gospel principles that I know & love, I've felt a peace amidst the chaos that I know can only come from a loving Heavenly Father who knows me personally & who loves me unconditionally. I'm so grateful for that knowledge & to know that with Him by my side, I can get through anything. I'm also so thankful that alot of the time he leaves me to struggle & work things out on my own even when I'd prefer to have the answer handed to me on a platter lol...I feel like I've grown so much this year because of that very reason.

Such a special night with my BFF xxx

I'm also super grateful to have the best family in the whole wide world!!! I love the Plan of Salvation & how Heavenly Father organized us into families :) I know everyone thinks their family in the best, but I testify that mine is totally the best for me. All of us are far from perfect, but I love that we're all on this journey striving towards perfection together - even if we're along way off lol (& those of my family members that are reading this now & have just thought "speak for yourself, I'm almost there!" - you are further away than most of us lol.....just kidding haha)

The teenage me can't believe I'm saying this, but nothing makes me happier than being with my family!! I cringe when I think back to those teenage years when I became too cool to hang out with them, because now they're my "BFF's" as Mac calls them (That stands for Best Friends Forever Dad).


I know B's already mentioned this, but on Boxing Day we had lunch with Dad, G, B & Pete at the foodcourt & then Dad needed to go up & fill their car with water before they left, so rather than saying our goodbyes & going our separate ways from there, Dad put Spence in the trolley & all 8 of us went up to their car together even though it was in opposite direction of where ours was parked . 

Cheesy, but as we were all walking & talking I thought to myself, I wonder what other family would do this??!!! 8 people with a trolley & pushchair in tow all going to fill up the water in one car lol......I love how when you're with the people you love it's not about what you're doing, it's just about being together. I don't think there's any doubt we love being together :)

o.k well I think that's enough of a ramble for the end of 2012 :) It's been one heck of a rollercoaster, but the views from the top have been worth every minute of the struggles at the bottom. I'm so grateful for how much they've helped me to grow. 

Nikole just posted a quote on facebook this morning that I really liked that said that "the only way to predict the future is to create it" & so with 2013 just around the corner I'm pretty amped to see what we can make of it!!! Happy New Year xxx

Thursday 27 December 2012

Christmas 2012 (Part 1)


Christmas has got to be one of the BEST times of the year for parents & children alike :) 

When you're a kid it's impossible to comprehend that anything could ever beat the anticipation & excitement of ripping open your presents on Christmas morning to see what Santa has left you....& for many years I wouldn't have believed that anything could beat that either, but seeing the anticipation & excitement in my kids faces while they're ripping open their presents beats that hands down!! (Well actually it's just Mac's face for now, but I'm sure Spence's time will come - when he finally gets a chance to open his own presents that is!!)

Putting out Santa's snacks - Favourites, Strawberries, Frozen peas for the reindeer & banana milk :)


The goodies from Bishop Stone who did his usual Santa drop off on 
Christmas eve :)

Santa's helper preparing the snowy footprints (even though it's been way too muggy for snow lol)

The crepe paper Santa's elves taped over Mac's door just in case he woke up while Santa was delivering his pressies :)

I thought he would think the crepe paper all over his door was cool, 
but he was initially really grumpy about it & just busted through it....he warmed up again though once we explained why it was there


Pics of Mac opening pressies.....
can't get enough of those facial expressions!! xxx








Cheese :)

And even more cheese :) :)

Mac LOVES to watch domino clips on youtube - the ones where people make trails out of thousands & thousands of dominos....he just doesn't seem to get sick of watching them, so now he can make his own :) Yay!



See that tiny bit of paper in Spence's hand? That's pretty much the only bit of present he got to unwrap himself lol




Amazed that Santa knew exactly what crocodile he'd been wanting from 
the $2 shop :)

I knew Slinky's would be right up Spence's alley - 
he had to taste them 1st of course!






Christmas 2012 (Part 2)


So after opening pressies at home, it was off to Aunty Jose's for Christmas brekky with the Leone's....and of course more pressies.....

Super chuffed with more lego from Aunty Jose & Mattsy :)

Mac's pressie for Shylah

Trying out Tarian's new drum kit



Shylah's new bike from Santa


Then it was straight from one feed to another for the Ormsby Christmas lunch at the Hekes.....


Spency loved his 2nd Christmas so much better than his 1st :) 
Guess it helps to be awake for it!






Just missing Azza :(



Gotta love those tan lines :)

Having a blast with the Heke crew's new water play table


Giggles with Uncle Carl


Mell's totally delish Oreo cheesecake!!

Mac with his fave choccy eclairs made by Aunty B 

Playing with the party string Aunty B bought the kids ....

which apparently didn't work too good :(


Working properly or not though, it was obviously still fun!!

2 seconds after leaving the party :)


What a totally cool day!!