At Rain(bow) Beach

We're away on our long awaited annual holiday. It almost seems unfair, that we save so hard for our break and then it rains....but you know what? We are still making the most of it. For one thing, we've already decided that next year, we'll go away a little later in the year. Sept/Oct is too unstable weatherwise here in Qld. Last week the weather was just glorious. Hot everyday, cool nights and I was in summer clothes, with short shorts and a singlet top and this week, it's raining.... Thankfully though it's not cold.

We booked the same house that we had last year. We're a little sad though to see that nothing's been done to the place. The weeds have been let run rampant and the broken towel rails, and door knobs haven't been fixed. Even the hissing/whisting toilet that Bunny fixed last year, hasn't been fixed properly. We'll go somewhere else next year, and this house is on the market too, it's obvious the owner doesn't want to spend any money. Sadly too, most people who rent holiday homes treat them badly. We treat this house like our own.....why can't more people be like us.

On the flipside though, the beds are still comfy, the house roomy, and I love having an ensuite. I can't believe that I think having my own shower and toilet is luxurious, but it is. Home has had bucketloads of rain, it's made the papers, they've had 10 inches of rain in a few hours....we're lucky to not have had as much here.

Probably the only thing we've done different so far, is that we can't sit on the beach, and I've not sat by the pool. We have still eaten out, enjoyed the relaxed feeling and enjoyed each others' company. We've even all been in the pool, crazy as it sounds, because it's not hot, but we're not going to miss out on having our own pool.

Even from last year, my kids have grown up so much. We let them in the water on their own now. All three are competent in the water, and it's a liberating feeling.

We stopped in at Aldi on the way up here and bought some nice food. There's a woolies about a half hour away from here, and an IGA and Foodworks handy for everyday things. The bakery sells yummy bread and there's the obligatory fish and chip shops, cafes and pizza places. Last night we out out Thai. It was very nice, but rather expensive. It's a shame that it costs $145 to take a family of five out for dinner!!!! We won't be doing that again. The same menu in Nambour would have cost us about $85, and the food would have been just as good. No wonder we don't eat out much as a family, the cost is prohibitive. The kids love eating out though, and we love taking them out, so it's a real treat for all of us.

The boys have been fishing twice already, and I've been happy staying home, on my MacBook, reading and snoozing. Tomorrow they want me to go too though.....and they want me to get dirty yikes, they want me to have the mud coming up through my toes.....not sure about that lol........ I don't mind to fish though, so we'll see what transpires. I'm not going if this weather continues though.

Sammy playing with the wrestling figurines in the lounge room.

Billy-Joe on his 'Apple Dell' in the family room.

Kidlets enjoying an ice cream at the yummy ice cream shop.

Kids swimming , with Mickey saving on washing.

Life is just so busy

I've not stopped since I was ill. Actually with the craft fair and helping Barbi, it's probably before I was sick that the busy times began. I have enjoyed them though, glad that I've got more energy, and happy that I'm not working outside the home, as I know how much this has always added to the stress levels before.

I still find changes in my outlook and state of mind every now and again, which is really exciting for me. I still feel happier on a consistent daily, all day basis, so I know that it's not a placebo effect from my new medication. It's been too long now, the artificially created joy, would have long dissipated if it was something that I was just telling myself, or just feeling out of desperation and hope, something I've done so many times before, when I think a solution has been found for me.

Just as an aside, my cat, Izzy is running around the house like a lunatic. She does not like it when her boys are all downstairs and she's stuck up here. She misses them so much and cries for them. It's holiday time and she spends a lot of time with them. At the moment, my four boys (or her four boys) are downstairs watching the footy, so Mummy can watch Masterchef and Izzy is meowing and crying because she can hear them talking......but can't find them lol, it's quite funny. I can't believe how this cat has wheedled her way into our hearts. I was always a cat lover, ever since I was a child and have always had a cat in my adult years. When I decided I was ready to have a cat inside again, because I no longer had small children, little did I realize how much I would grow to love her. She's such good fun. She actually plays with the kids, they can play hide and seek and she comes racing up to find them and taps them on the head, it's so cool. Sammy and Mickey go to bed at night and Izzy goes in there to create havoc. I usually have a cut off point, where I shut the door and Izzy has to come out, when I think they've spent enough time, hiding under the doona, with and without Izzy lol.... MInd you she's not very happy when I take her out of there, and will usually hang outside the door whinging and sticking her paws under the door as she's dying to get back in. When it's all quiet in there, I open the door, and, like a good girl, she hops up on Sammy's bed and goes to sleep, and she stays there all night. On a scrapping night when I'm home late, I have to feed her and she goes back to bed. I'm so happy that the kitty litter isn't inside anymore, she just goes out in the morning, ah those pussy cats are so clever lol.... She is however, extremely spoilt and the MOTH aka Bunny is the one who spoils her the most. He cried so hard when Charlie died, I didn't think he'd take to Izzy like he has, but he has, and how everyone is with her is just beautiful to watch.

I had to relent and take her downstairs, I've had enough of her caterwauling......

Back to the regular program.

I started my small business e commerce course last week. It's everything we need, and I'm so excited and so grateful that I was accepted. I've already worked ahead in the lessons and have already set some things in motion, they're behind the scenes stuff, but it's all geared toward making our site more 'Google friendly'. In the coming weeks I'm going to complete various analyses, of our own site and also that of our competitor's. By analyzing successful businesses you can create a better one for yourself so this is a valuable learning tool. I felt like I was floundering with the site because I am not armed with enough knowledge. Let's face it, knowledge is power, and being a control freak, I need this to feel like I'm doing a good job. I had two full days in Maroochydore and I had a webinar this evening. I've already covered three weeks of e lessons, as the first two are introductory and are basically catering for the complete novice. I'm happy that I have some net savviness already. I was excited this morning, when I actually went in and added some html coding to our site, so that Google can verify it.......can you imagine how excited I was when the verification came through. I actually got up at 7am to do this, something that's unheard of, me getting early of my own volition. I didn't have anything I had to be at, or anything else pressing, I just wanted to get some work done early. That's the most awesome advantage of working from home, I can do my work when it pleases me and in chunks big or small...just love it. The flexibility is fantastic.

I was very lucky that dear Bunny had a few days off, so he spent precious time with the boys and I didn't have to put them into holiday care, which they have well and truly grown out of. It also meant that he was home today, for my baby's birthday. I still can't believe that my youngest is now 9 years old!!!! We all had a lovely, fun day. We decided that we were going to do the food easier than normal, in light of my recent obligations, I was happy to make cakes, but wanted a bought lunch. Going out would have been too dear, and we'd bought Mickey some awesome gifts, that an extra $150 or so on food for us was out of the question. The KFC deal, was a huge success with all of us. We just bought extra chips and exchanged the drink for another coleslaw. Mum and Dad thoroughly enjoyed the lunch too, there wasn't anything left. I made a Caramel tart, on a choc ripple base with a dark chocolate ganache and it was beautiful. I'm looking forward to a cuppa a little later, with a small piece of it.

I went shopping on Saturday with my Mum. Something that we used to do all the time, when I had littlies and didn't get out much, walking around the shopping centre all day was a nice way to spend some time with my Mum. She wanted to get MIckey a gift and wanted my help and I was looking forward to spending time with her. We had a good day, and while I thought I'd be exhausted when I got home, I still managed a lovely date night with my husband. I made a Masterchef recipe, the Beef Stroganoff and Parsley and Pepper fettuccine. The pasta was a bit fiddly this time, but we got it working, with adding in more flour and it tasted delicious. I wasn't as happy with the Beef Stroganoff as I was when I made it a few weeks ago from the www.taste.com.au site. We had a great night, and suffice to say that my darling husband is much happier these days. Happier wife and Mama makes for a happier husband too. He's currently feeling very loved and I'm enjoying watching his contentment. It's like we've fallen in love all over again, and it's a wonderful feeling. Thankfully we've always been close, so our downs only make the ups even better. We've been together nearly 20 years and are the best of friends.

Sammy and Mickey are heading off to golf clinic for the rest of the week, and Billy-Joe is looking forward to spending time with me. He can have a friend over to visit and we'll do stuff together. I'm looking forward to spending some 'chill out' time this week. I've nothing on my schedule other than house chores and Daisy work, so that's achievable this week. Mickey is very excited to test out his new golf clubs. They look amazing, with their red shafts, he's one very very happy little boy this evening. I need to edit the white balance on some pics and then I'll upload.

Happy Mothers' Day

I have just had the best day. I love Mothers' Day. It's right up there with Christmas and even better than my birthday I think, seeing as my birthday is so close to Christmas. I started the morning with a delicious cooked break - my favourite, french toast, maple syrup, bacon, coffee and orange juice.

It was the first Mothers' Day breakfast I'd ever had cooked for me.Normally we head out to see Peter's Mum in the morning and then rush home to have lunch at our house with my parents. Now that Peter's folks live half an hour away, it takes a huge hunk out of the morning, so I suggested we go yesterday. I'm so pleased Peter thougth it was a good idea. We got to have a really nice visit yesterday, and I had a relaxed morning today. Because Mum and I had decided to have cooked chickens and salad for lunch with bake @ home rolls, I could take the time to make an appetiser and dessert. Yesterday I made a pate and tiramisu. Both were just divine!!!

The kids bought me lovely gifts from the stall at school. A coffee mug, washers, a shower fuffy, and a sponge, with shower gel and shampoo. The piece de resistance was my Pandora Bracelet. I was overwhelmed. Especially as Peter made out that I wasn't getting much. Plus, like I mentioned in a previous post, the jeweller's which specialize in this, are not in our town, so for him to go outside the Bunny Zone was pretty cool.

Just before midday though, I got a text to check my ichat messages. Mmm, I was surprised that I'd missed them but I went over to the computer and sure enough there were quite a few messages. Karen was excited that I'd received my Pandora Bracelet, but I nearly fell off my chair with excitement when she told me she had got a MacBook!!!

I rang her up, I couldn't ichat her back because my hands were shaking. I squealed and was so loud with excitement for her that the kids came running out to see what the fuss was about. Geoff had thought that I hadn't responded to the messages because I didn't have mine yet lol.......... She had spent the morning totally overwhelmed, and in tears and just delighted to have her own computer. Like mine will be it's all on the wireless network and she is so excited. Now she can bookmark, and save and download to her heart's content and I can show her stuff and we know that Geoff won't get peeved at us lol........

I might go to Myer this week, next Friday night we'll both sit there.......

I have to go and maybe swap my bracelet as it's quite small.

I had a fabulous day. Hope all my friends had an awesome day too.

Bunny, Billy-Joe, my Mum and Dad, while Mum opens her gift.

My Pandora Bracelet

Saying Thank you for my lovely gift.

A Day at the Beach

The two photos above - the top one uses the Landscape Picture style, while the second one is using the Standard style. I love the extra saturation in the above picture. I love how these picture styles will reduce post processing. I normally can't help 'tweaking' (read - fiddling) with photos and if I'm happy with the colour SOOC (Straight out of the camera) then I won't be tempted to adjust them. It's cool having the control over the colours in my camera. For close ups, the Standard setting is excellent and I'll enjoy using that in my home, especially as colour in my house can often over power the subject.

A little crab the kids found and showed me.

I played with the Picture styles in my camera. The above one is Standard, which leaves images fairly neutral. I love the effect in the above photo.

The above photo is edited simply with 'enhance' in iphoto and the photo above it is using the Standard picture style. Not quite enough saturation for my liking.

Today was just the most gorgeous day. Unfortunately summer time is often not the best time at the beach for us, as the wind direction often makes it blowy, rough and sand gets everywhere. Plus it's stinking hot then too. We've always had the best beach days in Spring and Autumn. The kids had a ball, catching waves, playing frisbee, exploring in the sand. We had fish and chips for lunch and followed up with an ice cream. I took my camera along, and read some more of my field guide and played with some of the settings.