Tuesday

Before time really gets away (after all, there is the back to school post looming next week) I thought I should share some pictures from our little camping get away. We went to ben Boyd National park, further than what we have ventured before, but close to our favourite beach where we could stop on the way home.  We took Maggie to the beach last year, but at 4 months old she wasn't keen at all.  This year, while still timid, she soon was happy to get her feet wet.

The campsite was lovely, and popular.  We met some interesting people who were happy to have a chat.  The kids each made a friend and it felt so nice to hear them calling out good morning or good night to each other as each child either emerged from or retreated to their tent.  Had encounters with the wildlife - the possum who stole our block of chocolate and proceeded to eat it in front of us.  He did leave us the foil wrapper at the bottom of the tree the next morning though.  And the huge Leaf Monitor who chased Nicholas!  They are not shy and come out mid-morning to find something to eat.  Audrey kept ducking into the tent and zipping it up when one came near.  The sound of light rain on the roof of the tent one night was relaxing, as was the gorgeous sound of breaking waves.  We went to the whale museum, had a swim, Dave took Nicholas and Audrey for a night walk and we stopped for our annual visit to our favourite ice cream place coming home. 

A quick trip and we could have spent another night, but better to wish for a day more than a day less.  (Although, the kids were happy to say goodbye to the pit toilets)!

Camp essentials.  Binoculars, hat, drink bottles, pencils, journal and...

Bubbles to keep Maggie occupied while we (David) put up the tent.

RELAXING!

My big girl.  Where have the seven years gone??  It was Audrey's birthday on the 5th and we went for a family trip to the zoo.  She is maturing a lot.  I need to remind myself how old she is...

The Lace Monitor moving around everyone's tents looking for breakfast.  Nicholas moved in for a closer look.... A little too close for the Lace Monitors' liking.  Boy do they move fast!  (So did Nicholas!!)

Beach babes.



Saturday

The days are once again ticking by quickly.  I have just started holidays.  I worked up until Christmas Eve and went straight back to work after the Christmas shutdown period.  David starts his new teaching position next week and I took this week off so we could go camping. Then I am home while he is settling in and we are all getting used to "our new world".  I am also home while Nicholas and Audrey settle into their first week of a new year at school.  I will then be reverting to my true part time hours at work of three days per week.

In thinking about the new year I intentionally thought that I would not make resolutions as I did not want the pressure of great expectations for what I would achieve this year.  However, in another blog I read I read about "lessons learnt from last year".  I thought this sounded like a good thing to do.  To look at things you don't want to see repeated in the new year.  New Beginnings.

One of the things that seemed a positive thing for me came via this quote: "I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty shoes" (Ghandi).  I want to have more control over the words I let nest in my head....

I am also going to walk more (when I can) and take a yoga class.  I have noticed that I am thinking more about the choices I make and whether they are good for my wellbeing.

I have approval to work from home on Fridays.  This, including the fact I will only be in the office on Monday/Tuesday make me happy. I am hoping it tips the balance of work/home in the right direction.  I look forward to being around the school for the kids, being on top of where they are at in their lives.  I have really felt I let that slip over the past year and that we were just existing, rather than living.  But I really do feel that I have the strength to pick up what I dropped.  And I look forward to doing it.

So, thinking of how last year seemed to fly by, with me running on empty and finding life a bit of an uphill battle, I am remembering the things that make me happy.  My family.  And simple things.  Reading to my kids~

[Speaking of which I had a lovely piece of facebook correspondence from my favourite Australian Children's book illustrator:

"My 7 (on Thursday) year old daughter has grown up with your illustrations (how lucky I am to have her to buy the books for) and when we were at a bookshop on Sunday she kept spotting more and recognising your work. We can never have enough!"

That's lovely to hear! Thank you! I'm so glad my books have found such a dedicated audience."] 

But just simple things like coffee and talking with David. I am yearning for that simplicity.  I know it so often is the "latest thing" (and people can spend a remarkable amount of money on being "simple"!!) but I really am happy when I am sitting with a coffee and looking at a magazine or (rarely these days) reading a book. I want to blog more about the joy I get from simplicity this year.

So, with David starting a new job, I am looking forward to this, the first year of the rest of our lives, and making it a good year for our family.

We had a three day camp this week.  That deserves a post of its own.  :)

Wednesday

Last day of school for 2014! As always, I am glad the school year is over.  :)
When I feel I can relax though, in the back of my mind I am conscious that I have an essay due on 5 January.  For the last couple of years I find I can barely make it to Christmas, so to be in the middle of a university trimester is daunting.  the kids get excited about Christmas and I try to make it a special time, but so many things crowd our space these days that I fear I fail miserably. My blog this year has mainly become a recording of photographs now and then.  Hoping that a picture truly says a thousand words. That I love my kids and wish the world for them.  Even when I cannot provide it.
Truth be told, I haven't written much as this year has been crap for me on so many levels.  It is one New years Eve that I will be truly celebrating.  At the same time 2015 scares me as I have made some decisions and changes that will hopefully be the best for my family, even if I know there will be days when I wonder what the hell I was thinking.

So, pictures for a thousand words today, pictures from the past few weeks:

Other things:
Julette Binoche is one of my favourite actresses and I really want to see her latest film, A Thousand Times Goodnight.  (Babysitters be warned)



Turns out one of my favourite singers has a song on the soundtrack.



And my teenage poster boy, Larry Mullen jnr is in the movie (that feels a bit weird to me) so with three of my favourites I have great expectations.

Betty in Paris with Commentary from Tiger in a Jar from Olive Us on Vimeo.

The clip above is cute.  They have lots of them. From a blog I used to read often.

It is such a busy time of year.  It seems more so this year. I am posting a couple of recent pictures from my iPhone.  My poor (real)camera has barely been used. 

I have so much I have wanted to post about for a while now, but the time never really presents itself... things such as my happiness saying goodbye to 2014, David's milestone achievement, my own study, and snippets from my gorgeous kids experiences... but mostly about the big changes headed our way!! ;) in my dreams it included this house.