Love :: INSTAGRAM

My current obsession is the iphone App Instagram, and if you have an iphone you really need to get this App! It is free and it allows you to take a photo and then use a number of different effects to enhance your  photo, then you can share it will all your friends. It is so cool, so I will be updating you with some of my favourite snaps along the way. Hope you don't get sick of them because I just can't stop!!!!

The Party, The Parents & The Planning

The last few weeks have flown by and I am sure that will be the case for the next few months as well, doesn't time just seem to disappear when you are not looking!

So we had Stella's 6th birthday party and she really enjoyed herself so I would say that is a success. I made everything I had intended to make and had the house looking the cleanest it has looked in a long while. Of course the rain came about an hour before the party was due to start so a few last minute changes where made to the layout of the backyard which resulted in throwing the decorations up at the very last minute, not exactly as I wanted them, but daddy did a pretty good job considering there was minimal direction while I was dressing the last of the children etc.

Stella got lots of lovely crafty gifts from her friends which naturally all needed to be tried within the first hour of the guests going home, and I am so pleased to say that there was not one Barbie, Brat or Dora in sight. - I have a bit of a thing about those sort of toys, the top shelf of my wardrobe is the perhaps final resting place for a number of barbies that have been gifted over the years - maybe one day they will be offered as play things, but I am undecided on that one at this stage.

I think the food table looked delicious and the cake was a success even if I did make the night before at about 2:30am.

  

 

Once the excitement of the party died down, Mum and Dad came to stay so that Paul and I could fly to Brisbane for a school friends wedding. We were making a flying visit and were only actually in Brisvegas for all of 33 hours,  so we didn't bother trying to visit anyone and we stayed in the city the whole time with my best friend who was also going to the wedding. It was so nice to spend some time with her because we never get to see each other (she lives in Cairns). And it was so strange to not have to think about getting kids ready and the like. A couple of times Paul said to me wow we are actually on time, I was like yeah well that is because we don't have 4 children to get organised!! We got up earlyish (7:30am) on saturday morning and went for a run along the river and then across to Southbank and then back over the river and a bit further along that side of the river and then back to the hotel. It was so nice in the sunshine but quite surreal to think that in January where we were running was completely under water due to the floods. So good to see Brissy thriving again though, love my hometown and can't wait to get back there for good :) Felt good that I had burnt 800 odd calories seen as though I knew there would be a few indulgences on saturday night!  The wedding was so lovely and had some beautiful touches in the ceremony and the reception venue was magical especially because I didn't know how it would accommodate a wedding, but for anyone in Brisbane looking for a venue - definitely look into Melange at Roma Street Parklands,  if you have been there in the day, it is just like a bit of a roof and a cafe down one end, but at night they close up all the walls with glass bi-folds and it is totally enclosed and that gorgeous high roof with amazing chandeliers it was just divine and the food was really good too! As we didn't know a lot of the other guests we got to really hang out with the friends we did know and we had a blast. They had a photo booth set up too with props - moustaches, hats, wigs, masks, speech bubble blackboards and the like and it was heaps of fun. The 5 of us may have hogged the booth just a little! So it was a great night. And the 4:45am wake up for our early morning flight was not too bad either - ha!

Now this week I am all about planning The Big Road Trip Of 2011, we head off next friday afternoon and I have a lot of things I need to get organised before then! And tips or suggestions of places to stay, parks to visit, games for the kids, car survival items???? I am open to all suggestions, that is for sure!

Back on my feet, I think!

Wow, it has taken a long time to start feeling better after this terrible flu, I really wouldn't wish this on my worst nightmare. It has just evolved into so many symptoms and just when you think you are through the worst of it, bang! something else crops up and you have to spend another day in bed. Unfortunately the only effect it hasn't really had on me is weight loss...you would have thought as a bonus to being so sick I could have dropped a couple of sympathy kilos! On the other hand my lovely husband who has also been sick through out this whole duration has dropped 5kgs! bloody men, why is it so easy for them!! But he is looking a little scrawny and when I looked up his ideal BMI, he is getting far too close to the underweight zone. wow, if only I had that problem. But anyway, enough about sicky things.

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This week is all about Stella's 6th birthday party that is on this coming saturday. I am pinning all sorts of things that I want to try - but who knows if I will get around to doing it all. I am trying to work out whether 6 year olds still want to play games at parties and if they do what games are appropriate? Anybody out there have any ideas? I have asked Stella what she wants to do and she said play line-chasey and make up dance routines, I am thinking more along the lines of a decorating type craft activity and making giant freckles to take home. I also wondered about a game that I used to play as a kid, but can't for the life of me remember the process. It was the game where you have a block of chocolate and a knife and fork, and you have to put some dress up clothes on as quickly as possible and then try to eat as much chocolate using the knife and fork while it is still your turn, just can't remember how the rest of the game works, can anyone help me with this one??? might have to consult mr Google and see if he can shed some light on the situation.

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The next 2 months are going to be full on, after Stella's party we have her actual birthday, then Mum and Dad arrive to look after the kids so that we can fly to Brisbane for a wedding, then we get back and have 2 weeks before we set off on our BIG family road trip to Brisbane via Melbourne and assorted other places. I am really looked forward to it on one hand but then petrified about it on the other, are we crazy taking 4 young children on a road trip half way across the country!!!! Only time will tell I suppose.  I am getting lots of tips from my friend Donna who is doing a road trip at the moment and travelling to some of the same places. We are going to try and make it as exciting for the kids as possible so we are going to go to the Dubbo Zoo and we are going to go to Canberra and do a few things there and I can't wait to spend some time with my sister in Melbourne. We are going to do the Great Ocean Road on the way home and I really want to stop in the Coonawarra for some wine tasting, and might have to find time to visit Daylesford as I have only heard good things about that place. Any other places we should try and check out on our journey? We are taking 3 weeks for the trip which will include about 9 days in Brisbane which will include one of our closest friends weddings, so I am really looking forward to a big catch up with all the old gang.

Ok, got to get organised and make a few more lists before I get really stressed out about this party, wish me luck!