A Sneak Peak

I was going to keep it a surprise for when it was complete and I could do a big reveal but alas it’s been too long between visits (don’t get too excited…the house is a way off yet...I’m just referring to the tiling).

The tilers were out yesterday and today. Come tomorrow they’ll be finished the tiling!

Woohooo!!!!

First and foremost - in case you've forgotten what it looks like I’ve been so slack…

(I just wanted to display a better shot of my house – without that stupid piece of guttering and a fixed roof).

You know we still are yet to turn our mind to what colour we want the house. I was thinking something not much darker then the render colour. The lighter colour really works I think.

Anyway, I digress…back to the tiles.

In the 'kids bathroom' (a.k.a the other bathroom) we went for good 'ol fashioned white with a blue floor tile. I wanted something fresh and fun for the kids...I think it works. Who knows...we'll probably hate it in a year or two.

In the remaining tiled areas we stuck with the same tile throughout. It's a taupey colour (i.e. of the brown family). I like it and think it works but again, who knows what we'll think in a few years time!

(main toilet)

(Laundry)

In the ensuite (a.k.a the no kids allowed bathroom) we went for floor to ceiling tiles. The taupe tile again with a white larger wall tile. The frieze is a pebble finish.

(hmmm...the mirror must be going over the tiles - I didn't realise that was happening?!)

It seems 'photographer extraordinaire' neglected to take a picture of the most important part of the 'no kids' allowed bathroom, that being the spa bath! I guess that'll have to wait for the reveal.

So there you have it...the wet areas are nearly finished. It's one less thing to worry about, which saves room for all the other dramas happening around the house at the moment.

The kitchen is a whole other story which I refuse to waste my energies on right now. Hopefully, come Sunday afternoon it will *ALL* be delivered (there are bits missing), installed and looking gorgeous. I'm afraid fokes that the kitchen will have to wait for a reveal all of it's own!

Maybe another day...huh?

I'm really trying to get some nice shots of me and the kids. It's not rocket science but gee it feels like it. I just can't seem to get anything I like. I gave the camera to my sister on the weekend in the hope she could just snap a few. Alas, they are crap. The kids look good but I look shite. Those *bags* are dreadful. Grrr...

I guess we'll try again another day.

(Ok...I guess this one is half decent...my eyes are drawn to the kidlets!)

On a different note. Lily's ratio of good to bad shots are much better then mine. It doesn't matter what she's doing...generally she can pull a good photo off. In the case below, she was trying her very best to see her daddy. He had just arrived at my sister's place to drop something off. No one knew he was there except for her. She was standing at the window, trying with all her might to see out, saying "Daddy. Daddy".

Aren't those tippy toes to die for?

Eight things...

I got tagged by Karen, so here it is – or at least part 1 (will do the rest another time). I have tried to be blunt and straight to the point – makes for easier reading.

Eight Things I'm Passionate About:

Just to be sure, I looked it up.

Passionate: “Capable of, having, or dominated by powerful emotions…”

1. My kids - my Byron and my Lily. They are my world; my everything…the reason for my being I’m sure. My soul is sodden with love for them.

2. Trevor – we have a love hate relationship. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s not as good. I know one thing for sure though…life and my heart sure would be empty without him in it.

3. Isn’t everyone passionate about their family? It’s no different for me. They are my underpinning; my strength. Sigh. I just love them so much.

4. My friends. I have many near and dear friends. They listen. They uplift. They support. They laugh. I’d like to think I reciprocate.

5. Photography. Of. Course. Doesn’t that go without saying these days? It’s funny really – discovering a passion deep in side. A passion you never knew existed. Kindling a new found passion is like giving birth to another child (without the sleep deprivation!)…It’s a wonderful journey. Exhilarating. Full-filling. Fun.

6. Providing for my family. I’m definitely passionate about that. I’ll do what I have to, when I have to, to ensure they don’t go without.

7. …hmmm thinking. Thinking. I’m ‘into’ and care a great deal about many things – like children in general and their welfare, the elderly, the sick, the environment - but passionate, that it reaches the very depth of my core, I am not. Perhaps if I had more time, didn’t have to work, had more money etc it would be different. I know it would.

8. …and something I’m not so passionate about – housework!

Eight Things I Want To Do Before I Die:

1. Raise my children into adulthood and parenthood. I want grand kiddies. I want to spoil them like my kids get spoilt by their grandparents.

2. See the world. So cliché huh? Never the less it’s the truth. I want to travel to the farthest places, walk the farthest roads...experience another culture (in five stars of course!). I just want to see exciting things.

3. Pay off my mortgage. Hmmm with the currently climate, the size of the mortgage, I wonder if that will ever be possible? Time will tell no doubt and interest rates will help.

4. Retire. I’d hate to die before I got a chance to sit on my bum and do nothing – and get paid for it (gotta love superannuation).

5. Photograph a birth – I’ve heard it is the most amazing experience which I would love to be a part of.

6. Sky dive – Trevor’s suggestion but something I’d like to try.

7. Work for myself - i.e have a successful photography business.

8. Own a dog.

Eight Things I Say Often:

1. “Trevor…what do you think of this shot?”

2. “No…I said NO!”

3. “Byron!”

4. “Lily!”

5. “Hi mum”

6. “One…two…two and a half…two and three quarters…time out when I get to three…three”

7. “I love you”

8. “Good morning/afternoon, ***** Law…Nicole Speaking”

I hope you were riveted reading like I was writing it. He he he.

On a side note...I didn't open photoshop once today!!! That's a big deal you know.

Proud

I have a dear friend. She’s such a sweetie. A sweetie that's 36 weeks pregnant with number three. She’s been letting me ‘practice’ on her – she’s my one and only maternity shoot so far. I’ve had the opportunity to ‘do’ her twice. I never did get around to posting the first lot of photos. At that time she was only around 32 weeks and pretty tiny. I guess we were waiting until she got a bit bigger – a bit further along. She has the most amazing little belly…so taught and cute. Anyway, she was so gracious with her time and her thoughts (she had some great clothing ideas which worked out perfectly).

Out of the thousands of photos I have taken over the last few months I'm particularly proud of these. I’m proud of the way they've turned out. I’m proud that I could think out side the square. Most of all though, I’m proud to give my friend some memories to treasure for ever - that's what it's all about right?!

Kyles, thanks again mate xx

Last hurrah for the tutu!

It’s finally starting to get cooler here in Queensland. Arrgghhh! I feel like we never got summer. Oh well, I guess there’s next summer.

You might recall the little hot pink tutu I got Lily a while back – with the matching little silver jiffies? Anyway, it’s getting a bit too cool to wear it now (plus she’s growing out of it) and I hadn’t really got any *great* photos with her in it. So, I decided to head out to the local forest for a bit of a try at some shots.

As for the jiffies, we're on pair number two now. She grew out of the last lot but not before they got a good work out.

We are so blessed to have a nice little forest near us. There is plenty of wildlife to see. On show yesterday afternoon were some wallabies with joeys – there were quite a few of them. Such friendly little creatures – not scared at all until a toddler comes running after them. Then, they jump for their lives.

Anyway, here are some from our little ‘session’. Let me just preface it by saying…I am NO nature photographyer!

Capturing The Moments

Sometimes I feel like I’m so caught up with just getting that perfect ‘WOW’ shot these days that I forget about why I love photography. For me, I like to think it’s about capturing moments in time…looking at a photo and having it stir an emotion; create a feeling; remember a time.

So, with that in mind, I pushed aside my desire to get the perfect shot and went for something natural (in the loose sense - I like to think that all the photos I take are ‘natural’, some more then others). I waited until Lily was awake from her sleep –actually I don’t think she slept but that's another story– and took my camera into her bedroom in the hope of catching some candid moments.

I think I succeeded.

Here is a snippet of my five minutes in Lily’s room…

Lily and Medical Establishments

I spent today at home with the kids. Well not exactly at home but I wasn’t at work so you get my drift. There was a reason for my day off today – Lily had to have her 18 month old check up and immunisation (at 19 months…my fault time seemed to get away) and a further follow up appointment at the hospital to check on her hydronephrosis.

Today is normally ‘Grandma Day’, so my mother in law came along for the ride which was fantastic because doctors/hospital visits are scary with two kids. Anyway, first up we had Lily’s 18 month check up and chicken pox immunisation. All went well in that department. I have no concerns in relation to her developmentally so it was just to deal with formalities. Lily is doing well at 12.5kgs (just above the 75th percentile)! Her head is huge at 49cms…ok not huge but up there just below the 97th percentile. The doctor said that she is 88cms but at the hospital they said she was 83.5cm…I don’t think she is quite 88cms – that would place her above the 97th percentile. She is tall but not that tall. For the purposes of my record I will leave it at 85cms (I’ll measure her shortly myself) which puts her in the 90th percentile.

She handled her needle like a dream. The darling had a jelly bean in her mouth – it was the only way we could get her to sit on the baby scales - so she was occupied. There were a few tears but they soon disappeared when offered a balloon! The doctor did think she may have had a slight ear infection but nothing that could put a hold on the immunisation (ie. no temperature).

After the doctor we had to rush over to her hospital appointment in the city. In short, I'm pleased to advise that Lily is doing really great and the doctor isn’t concerned about the hydronephrosis given she has been off antibiotics for a while and hasn’t had any infections to speak of. However, there is still a chance infections my develop so we are to look out for high temperatures. She has to undergo another ultrasound this time next year but for now she is doing great.

I hate going to the hospital. Each time I have to go, I have to sit there and look around at all the sick kids or kids with disabilities of all kinds. Each time I walk away from the place, it's with the notion firmly implanted that I'm just so so lucky to have the two healthy, happy children I have!