Camping with Nanny & Grandad

Most of you will know, my parents are travelling around Australia at the moment. Although, they haven't gotten very far! They decided to take this year slow and just do Queensland - next year they will venture into the other states. This meant that we were able to go and meet up with them in Harvey Bay for Easter. Chey has been missing them terribly - she is so used to them just being around the corner, so she finds it hard not being able to stop in for a cuddle and a swim at Nanny's!
They have just met up with some old family friends who packed up in NZ and have come over here to join my folks - so our trip to Harvey Bay was nicely timed to catch up with them as well.

They are staying at Fraser Lodge www.fraserlodge.com.au which is a fantastic camping site. I am keen to get back up there again. Over the holidays they run lots of activities including candle making, free face painting, easter egg hunt, visit from the easter bunny. You can hire Go-Carts, play tennis, swim in 2 pools and generally have a great time.

Chey making a candle

Here is my easter present from Chey.....the product of her candle making (she didn't sculpt it, a lady did that at the end for the children)

On the first night, Chey wanted to go outside and ride her Rip Stick which I bought her for her birthday. Until now, she hadn't mastered it, purely because I didn't know how to ride the thing, so I couldn't really teach her! Moments after we came out side one of the fathers from the families that were staying across from us (we hadn't met yet) saw that we were having a few struggles with this thing and instructed his daughter to come and teach 'this little girl how to ride her rip stick'!

So after 2 hrs of intense training and alot of cheering as she managed to 'get up' on the board then promptly fall back down again and a good nights sleep, she was cruising around the camp like a pro - looking like the cat who got the cheese!I love camping and how it brings strangers together! One thing my parents have comment on is how they never know anyone when they go into a camp site, but you always end up talking to all sorts of people from all sorts of places. They have even managed to make some friends that I am sure they will keep for life. A couple they met in Scarbrough over Christmas met them here at Harvey Bay for a holiday together - it is nice to see them so happy.

I have left Chey with them for the week. I feel extremely lost without my baby but I know she is having a fantastic time with Nanny & Grandad - I look forward to picking her up and hearing all her great stories of the past week.

The one thing I love about my daughter, is her ability to make friends (and lots of them) where ever she goes! She is not backwards in coming forwards....so even though I fret about her, I know she will look after herself just fine!

Australia Day & Good Friends

I feel blessed to be 14 years out of school (yikes!!) and still have the close friendships of my good girlfriends that i made while in school! To make it even more special, we have all grown up and either gotten married & or had kids! So our group has grown from 6 girls, to 6 girls, 5 husbands & 7 kids!

This Australia day we gathered at my place for good food, good converstion and lots of Sip 'n' Sliding!! The slip 'n' slide had to be the highlight of the day! Not only did the kids enjoy themselves, but Lisa, Jen & I certainly had a lot of fun on it as well, much to the delight of the kids.

This event was especially nice for Chey & I, being able to host the families in our own home.
We have decided that we will all get together every Australia Day - and the Slip'n'Slide will be making an appearance!

The girls. Me, Emma, Jen, Nikki, Frida (Cath & Grants friend),Cath, Bek, Lisa & Cooper

Aunty Jen & Chey share a cuddle...with the newest edition to Lisa & Marks family, Max! Isn't he gorgeous!
Slip Sliding Away

The boys....Tony, Paul, Grant, Mark & Chris

The gorgeous Ruby

And the beautiful Amelie...with my baby Fudge :)

Gurgan Wedding - March 6 2010

Two weekends ago, my friend Carrie got hitched! The wedding was held at Brett's Wharf and the venue couldn't have been better! Despite the rain, the "Party Girls" (my next choice of job!!) did a fantastic job of decorating the venue and the food was delicious!

Myself & two other girls (unofficial bridesmaids - there was not bridal party) took the Friday before hand off to help the bride with last minute wedding plans.....although other than checking out the venue and making sure all was good there, we didn't have a lot to do except open the bubbles and enjoy some good old fashion girlie time, including pedicures, a long lunch and lots of laughs!

On the day, Carrie and I woke early (we shared the bed, so if the bride was awake....so was I!) after making sure Carrie was calm, we headed off to breakfast then into town to buy Matt some cuff links and have our hair done.

The day was pretty casual considering the big event. Carrie had a nice relaxing time and only really got nervous when I kindly pointed out that "the part that would scare me the most would be everyone watching me"....ooops probably not the best thing to say to the bride!!

All went off without a hitch (except for the lovely bloke who was refusing to return the hire car that was supposed to be picking us up to take us to the wedding....thankfully another one turned up in the nick of time!)

Carrie & her proud father

It took 3 of us to tie her up in this thing!

New Years Eve 2009/10

Good friends of ours Amber & Richard hosted a New Years Eve Party at their place...theme was white. Carrie and I decided to ramp things up a bit with these crazy outfits...Supre is our new best friend!!

Me, Amber & Carrie

Dancing like idiots....

Christmas 2009

I Know....only 2 months late, but hey! You can't rush these things!!

Christmas was a great time for us. My eldest brother and his beautiful girls Kaiya & Olivia came over for a fun packed week leading up to Christmas! They arrived on the Tuesday and came to stay at our place. Tuesday night we went and visited the Christmas lights around our streets.
Wednesday we took all 6 grandchildren to Dream World for the day....exhuasting! But they had so much fun and it is rare that they all get to be together at one time, so we had a great day.
Thursday I went back to work! And the kid spent the day swimming in Chey's Poppies pool...poor wee things were melting in our heat! And Friday was Christmas day!

Christmas was at our place this year! So great to have our own home to be able to host Christmas.

Then the troops headed up to Mum & Colin's caravan in Redcliff for the night where they beached and went to the movies before heading home to NZ to see their beautiful mummy who was waiting for them to come home. Thanks Aunty Sarah for sharing your gorgeous girls with us!

Here are a few happy snaps from Dave and the girls time here....




We loved having the girls here and were so sad to say goodbye! You never really know how long before we get to see them again....although with my Grandmother turning 80 this year, the Australian family will be flying home to NZ in June - so at least this time we know we will see them soon!

Christmas Lights with Poppy

Like most people, Christmas is my favorite time of year, but it also brings with it some sadness. Shirley, Cheyenne's grandmother (Jamie's Mum) died on the 19th December 2002 (7 years ago). Shirley had just celebrated her 50th birthday on the 9th December - 10 days later she was dead. Not that it was a surprise, she had been diagnosed with Cancer earlier that year and sadly it was a long tough year as we watched her literally fade away to a shadow. Death was a respite but still an extremely sad time for us all.
John (Shirley's husband & Chey's Poppy) misses her deeply and I know this is always a tough time of year for him, so we do our best to spend time with him and keep him busy and show him lots of love! Which isn't hard, because we do love him heaps!


So, Sunday night we ventured over to Poppies house (just Chey & I) and after a lovely dinner cooked by Poppy, we got into the car and made our way to two chruches which had the most impressive lights & Christmas displays.

It was a lovely night, I really enjoy this time together as we talk about the old days and remember Cheyenne as a baby - specially since she was a Christmas baby (almost). Which by the way, i will post photo's of her birthday soon - i haven't forgotten to blog that one!!

Here are a few happy snaps of our night....
Chey holding one of the baby chicks at the animal display at the Baptist church - were ever animals are...you will find my girl!

Chey insisted on taking a photo of Poppy & I

My girl

I hate to say it, but Poppy certainly has a favorite!! They have such a great relationship!

Last Friday we had our internal Christmas party. I feel blessed to work with such great people, we always have alot of fun when we are together and Friday night was no exception. As we are a small office of 5 people, we decided to invite two of our Vendor friends Evan & Brenton pictured below with Carrie & I.

Office photo; Carrie, Ollie, Me, Daniel & Dean

Miss Scarlett turns 1!! I can't believe she is 1 already! We had a nice afternoon down at Cotton Tree - not that we were there long, poor Chey had been sick and so we had to leave shortly after the party started.

She is such a beautiful baby! Always smiling and definately runs rings around her big sisters.

Ollie & I

Carrie & I

Recently one of our Vendors arranged an afternoon of Paint Ball. I have always wanted to play and so jumped at the chance when they sent the email inviting us. It was an extremely hot day and with all the 'special' gear you have to dress up in, made for a slightly uncomforable afternoon. Never the less, we had fun and although i was feeling very nervous as they gave us the run down on the do's and don'ts of the game I still managed to throw myself into the game.

We did walk away with some crazy bruises, mine fortunately were on my arms and upper thigh's, Carrie's however were all over both arms and down her side - for two weeks she looked as though she had been beated up badly! The crazy stares were funny and didn't go unnoticed. A couple of times we could see people checking her out with a look of concern, however once they noticed i had similar bruises on my arms, they concluded she wasn't a case of domestic abuse!

A great afternoon - but don't be fooled, the paint balls HURT even some of the guys almost hit the deck after a couple of pelts!