Oh Noooooo.....

I am fast becomming BLOG OBSESSED. It all started with Sheye's blog ~ I followed a few links and some more and more and more..... I just find it so interesting to read others' perspectives on a variety of topics and before you know it, you're reading about the lives of others across the other side of the world.

Such a great concept ~ off to Google who started it all :)

"A recent study by the Pew Foundation finds that 8 million people have created blogs, a 58% jump in the past year, and about 25% of all Internet users read them".

My Sister Must have Sensed.....

...how bad I was feeling tonight and she sent me an email. Do you ever get a message, or sign, or anything that comes at the PERFECT moment? Well, this did for me.

I suppose most of us already know this but sometimes reading something reinforces it for me. Why oh why was this not sent to me months ago LOL. Maybe it's because I am in a better (or worse?) place to absorb it.

"Here is a metaphor I think we can all learn from....Buddha is renowned for responding to evil with good.A man heard about Buddha and what he stood for and decided that he would try his hardest and put Buddha to the test.Whilst in Buddha's presence this man verbally insults him over and over again, to which Buddha remains unmoved. Buddha then say's to the man " Can I ask you a question?" the man said "What?" Buddha said " If someone gives someone a gift and they choose not to accept that gift , who does it then belong to?" the man responded with "Well of course the person who first tried to give the gift" Buddha said " That is right, so if I reject your insults and abuse , does it not then belong to you?"

Thanks so much for the email Rachael ~ I love you sooo much xxxxx

Oh, as a side note. Twelve months ago today, I was served with THE papers that I thought would be the end of me LOL. Well, I am so glad the worst is over (hopefully) and to those of you who have helped me through such a difficult phase, I am so so grateful. It truly was just an awful time in my life and I know I have complained a lot about it but so many of you have stuck by me every step of the way ..... MWAHHHH to you. xxxxx

Why do I miss this?????

I have deleted this post. I have deleted it because I feel my point was made and the views of others also expressed. To those of you who had the aim of making me feel like shit and having others believe your lies, well you win.

I have had enough.

I lost a good friend because of what you have done and for that, I am sure you are all giving yourselves a pat on the back ~ well done.

What Now?

It is pouring with rain outside, Kara is with her dad and I am sitting here drinking my coffee LOL ~ I looooove winter when I don't have to do anything (although I have plenty I SHOULD be doing......)

I found out yesterday that Kara is able to attend a school which I was hoping for. I am so so happy. It's got me thinking though ~ what will I do next year!!!

I made the choice, pretty much the moment I saw Kara, to have little money and stay at home with her until she reached school age. It is perhaps the ONE thing in my life that I will never ever regret. I will always look back on these years with happiness knowing Kara's first 5 years were the best I could make them and that I was there to witness every amazing thing she has achieved. Nothing, in my opinion, could ever give me more happiness.

Now though, I need to get back on track with some sort of a career and I am at a stand still. I studied for 6 loooooong years at uni ~ I emerged with a Science Degree with first class honours and withdrew from my PhD after 2 years when Kara was 2. Now however, there is no way I want to re-enter that world. Perhaps in the short term as an assistant of some sort, but never as a long term career. What will I do instead ~ I have no idea LOL.

I've been tossing around the idea of midwifery but I haven't looked into it at all ~ that's this week's job. I need to find out what credit I would get, if any, given the study I have done and also need to look into the hours involved. For the first year of schooling, at least, I do not want Kara in before and after school care, so that is limiting in some ways.

It's just all so hard. When I entered uni, I had clear goals but they have shifted substantially. Now, apart from knowing I would love to work with children in some way, I am struggling with which direction to take.

Totally OTT, I was going through my photos today and I just love this one!

Amazing Ava....

...... will be remembered by so many and her family in the thoughts of thousands around the world for years to come.

Sheye and Crayton ~ this tribute to your Princess is just beautiful. I sat and went through it last night and it's such a beautiful site. Always thinking of you both xxx

http://avarosemeyer.memory-of.com/

Another Day at the Beach...

Kara and I loooooove the beach. We would go every night if we could and now that winter is coming, we are making the most of the last days of warmth.

These were taken yesterday. We took Charlotte (our puppy) for her first 'off the lead' walk (allowed after day light savings!!!) and it was just a great day. We had heaps of fun!

Kara found a few dead crabs and before we left, we walked along the jetty. She loooooooved the squid pictured below and was rapt when the boy who caught it let her pick it up and put it in the bucket :)

As usual, I had trouble choosing which pics were my favs.....sorry!!

Surely this is not true???

I cannot stop laughing!!

Japanese fooled in poodle scam

April 26, 2007 - 8:59PM

Thousands of Japanese have been swindled in a scam in which they were sold Australian and British sheep and told they were poodles.
Flocks of sheep were imported to Japan and then sold by a company called Poodles as Pets, marketed as fashionable accessories, available at $1,600 each.
That is a snip compared to a real poodle which retails for twice that much in Japan.
The scam was uncovered when Japanese moviestar Maiko Kawamaki went on a talk-show and wondered why her new pet would not bark or eat dog food.
She was crestfallen when told it was a sheep.
Then hundreds of other women got in touch with police to say they feared their new "poodle" was also a sheep.
One couple said they became suspicious when they took their "dog" to have its claws trimmed and were told it had hooves.
Japanese police believe there could be 2,000 people affected by the scam, which operated in Sapporo and capitalised on the fact that sheep are rare in Japan, so many do not know what they look like.
"We launched an investigation after we were made aware that a company were selling sheep as poodles," Japanese police said, the The Sun reported.
"Sadly we think there is more than one company operating in this way.
"The sheep are believed to have been imported from overseas - Britain, Australia."
Many of the sheep have now been donated to zoos and farms.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/Japanese-fooled-in-poodle-scam/2007/04/26/1177459875122.html

This is Amazing.

I just watched this and although it's heart breaking, it's also just amazing.

Gosh, to Lily and family, thanks for sharing xxxx

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5892030206214460724&pr=goog-sl%22

Karla...

Kara was sitting on the couch tonight and noticed a HUGE ant on the couch. She freaked out and then almost immediately, remembered she now owns a bug catcher :) We caught (the poor) thing and she loves it! She has named it Karla and when I checked her tonight, this is what I found....

We spent today with some friends (haven't asked if I can post pics yet, so I won't!) and the girls had a ball! We took them to a park and Kara looooooved this circle of clover ~ she was looking for fairies in it LOL. I love her so much.

I am sick of listing already LOL!

Those of you who know you know that I am an obsessive shopper ~ I used to laugh at this but not at the moment! I have accrued a bit of a debt lol and am in the process of selling (or sorting which to sell) Kara's clothes. She has wayyyyyy too many. My aim is to list 150 a fortnight and thus far, I am at about 105 and already sick of it!!! If you are into Ebay and have a little girl, check out my listings!!!!

http://search.ebay.com.au/_W0QQsassZfredbare!QQhtZ-1

Today, we spent the day with a great friend (Melissa) and her divine little boy, Ben. He is just the sweetest child and I worry that Kara's influence will see an end to that LOL. Just kidding ~ how could I say that about this face???? Perhaps I was thinking of the screaming tantys she was having this morning ....

Kara with her new Glo Bear she named Little Daisy x

This Won't Happen Often BUT.....

...... I am so happy with this photo of Kara and I that I had to post it!!!

Yesterday, Kara looked soooo cute and I started taking some pics. She wanted one of both of us which was a little difficult, given that it was me and her at home LOL. Soooo, I had the camera balanced on some DVDs on a bench and set the timer. I told Kara to get ready and that I was going to run over and lift her onto my lap....... I really didn't think both of our heads would be in it but there they are lol and I LOVE the photo!




Today was GREAT!!! Tanya and Evan came for the day and stayed for dinner and the kids were pretty good (most of the time LOL). Kara's been off colour for a few days so it was the first day of her kindy holiday that she's been able to enjoy ~ poor bebe!!!


Last night, I felt unusually domesticated LOL and rearranged and cleaned out Kara's room. Her bed is on the other side of her room and at bed time, everytime I walked past, this is what I see.... gotta love her (she is on her bed which is around the corner LMAO) xxxx

Isn't she Lovely?

After her weekend visits, Kara is more than happy to go to bed and falls to sleep within minutes! Tonight, she was laying down in my bed and playing with her teddies and when I went in to check on her, she had taken her PJs off and made a little bed ~ I love her soooooo much and have a renewed sense of just how lucky I am ~ another gift from Ava xx

I Miss My Baby

:(

It's been about 3 months since Kara started spending full weekends at her Dad's and whilst it is way easier compared to what it was like at the beginning, it's still hard. We had a bad day yesterday ~ unsually so. Kara screamed and carried on for a couple of hours saying she didn't want to go and after 2 hours of telling her it would be fun and her Daddy loves her, she finally calmed down. I just hate it. We went through this for a few months when overnights started but it had calmed down a lot over the last 2 months. I just hate that I have to even go through that with her. It's apparently in her 'best interests' to spend time with her father and whilst I do see the positives in that ( I try hard to anyway!!!), how is it positive to enforce 2 sleepovers when she clearly is not wanting them? It's horrible watching her leave knowing she just wants to stay home.

I don't know. I just want my girl to feel secure and happy as she has always been and hate that I have to stand by and watch her go through stress.

A Beautiful Day :)

The past couple of months have not been easy for a few reasons but today was superb :)

Kara had kindy and then we went to an indoor playground with some friends ~ she had a ball!! Evan and Tanya then came over and after a play outside, we took them to Maccas. It was just so nice watching them play so nicely all day, with the night ending in them kissing and embracing!!! I won't go into the part where they wanted to knock each other out because of some Maccas napkins LMAO.

Isn't she divine? (and Evan too of course!!!) I really am so very lucky and sometimes wonder what I have done to deserve my girl.

Oh ~ I just added the Carlton one cos I can!!! Fingers crossed Kara isn't brainwashed into supporting any other team!!!!

I LOVE this picture!!!!!

Easter...

Kara and I celebrated Easter a few times this year, to make up for her not being home on Sunday! It began at Bonython Park on Saturday for a public egg hunt and it was crazy! There were 3 times as many people as expected and lines galore but she still had fun ( a little bit according to Kara!). The highlight was having her face painted as a ladybug :)

Sunday began with Kara searching for a sickening amount of chocolate. It was EVERYWHERE and she was in her element. She then spent the day with her father and when I picked her up, we went ot Nanna's! The Easter bunny left choccies there too, so all was good :)

One more week of kindy and Kara is on holidays and I cannot wait. I am sooooo looking forward to having some down time with my baby and just having fun :)

Saturday ~ My Ladybug

Sunday Morning...

Nanna's House.....

2 Months.....

I haven't written a lot about Ava on this blog ~ that in no way reflects how much we have been thinking about her. In some ways, I feel it's not my place to share her ~ that's for Sheye and Crayton to do (and they do it beautifully). Ava flew to heaven 2 months ago today and some days it feels like years and others, like it was yesterday. We only had the opportunity to be with Ava for a couple of days last December but those days will be cherished by both Kara and I forever.

Sheye, Crayton, Luca, Mason, Ivy and Ava ~ I think about you daily as do hundreds of others. Ava ~ your picture lightens up our lounge xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sheye ~ for you, I dream that those fireflies appear sooner rather than later xxxxx

Ava looking for the birdie in her Mum's camera.....

Our Creation!!!

Kara and I love to sew together :) Kara helps pin the fabric and unpin it LOL and she looooves helping to choose fabrics. We made this set a couple of nights ago and now she is becomming a pro!!! We were in a fabric shop yesterday and she walked up to a fabric she wanted and felt it and announced, sooooo happily "Ohhh coooool Mummy ~ this is a stretch knit". So so cute.

I am thinking about making a couple to seeing how they go on Ebay (my obsession in life), so keep an eye out :)

Other than that, the last couple of days have been pretty uneventful ~ the next few are going to be busy though and I am getting my camera back tomorrow, so there will be lots of pics over Easter!!

Happy Easter everyone ~ enjoy your family and especially your children ... I know I will xxx

Some Pics....

ARGGGGGH I just typed out a message and added all of the pics and it failed.... let's try again LOL.

The wedding was FABULOUS!! A perfect ceremony and a gorgeous setting. It was great to catch up with some old friends and Myriam looked gorgeous (she always does......).

I didn't quite master Tan's camera but got a few shots that are OK ~ I sooo need my camera back NOWWWW.

Amika, Myriam and Manny's daughter, has grown so much and she is just so beautiful. She's at the age where getting a good pic is near impossible, but I got a couple I love!!!

Myriam, Manny and Amika ~ congratulations guys. Wishing you all the VERY best as a family and I hope you recieve all of the good fortune that you all deserve in the future. xxxxx

The GORGEOUS Amika

Her Divine Mummy ~ Myriam

Myriam and Manny