Happy Monday!

Probably the coolest thing you'll ever see all day. And all courtesy of my cousin. Thank you Lis for this rad hook up!


awesome image via Trisha Thompson Adams - 366 Sketchbook: A Daily Art Journal 

And Thanks For a Great Holiday

This afternoon we arrived home from a long weekend at my Mum and Dad's.

It was hectic. Crazy. Frenetic. But we had fun, and all our wee cousins - all seven of them, full to the brim with enthusiasm and excitement carried on for the whole weekend. Whoa Nelly! But there is nothing comparable to being small, hanging with your cousins, having fun, causing a bit of mallarky, and ending the day completely cream crackered passed out in your bed. Do you remember that excitement?

Alas I have NO pictures. My camera didn't even make it out of my handbag because:

a) the batteries were on the brink of dying

and

b) it feels like the weekend went by in a complete blur and I never felt there really was a chance to photograph the craziness.

They are my lame, tres lazy excuses and I stand by them. Capiche?

So we arrived home, it was a long weekend as daylight savings is now upon us, and on putting the smalls (finally) to bed - Matt said to the Doctor - "Good night and thanks for a great holiday."

The reply?

"Yes. It should be thanks to me. It was my idea."

Had any great ideas lately that I should know about? Hit me up.

photo absolutely unrelated. But on another family outing to the ZigZag Railway. Forever ago.

Kiddie Craft:: We Painted. And Then We Painted.

Today we sat outside and enjoyed a brief moment of sunshine.

We had my four year old niece over for a play which was fab for the Doctor to have someone to cavort around the place with.

I made some pint-sized potato stamps and the smalls had a great time stamping away with them. We were well into our expression session. Stamping the funny little carvings onto the paper (for the record I had a kooky looking bird, a wonky heart, a spindly little star and a circle).

Until things went a little awry and I quickly scuttled them on to the next activity.

Watercolours. I love watercolours for the fluidity of the medium. And I love watching the smalls work it too. The older children use single colours well, whereas Tiny likes to dip her brush in every single colour before taking to the paint - resulting in a murky palette. Oh well! I'm not one to interfere too much in making, I like to see what the smalls make by themselves.

Above is the Doctor's whale. I think he's pretty darn ace.

After watercolours, we continued on with collage. That was fun, despite Tiny just wiping glue all over her page and declaring that she was finished (with nothing stuck to the glue). She's a little bit Jeff Koons, a little Basquiat, a little cuckoo.

It's Me: Day 3

Day 3 reveals that yesterday I was wearing my very favourite tee (it's Genki). Again. It's easy to wear. I don't need to justify it. Right...? Right...?

Yesterday we spent a glorious morning at Balmoral with my sister and her little girl (that would make P-Bee my niece). The sun was shining. The seagulls were swooping. The babes happily played together in the sand. Tiny got a little too up close and personal with a wave.

Hello Spring - I've seen you around the traps lately. Let me invite you in. Stay awhile.

How To Spend Special Days

Matt took yesterday off to spend the day with me. Swoon.

We had lunch with my sisters and just each of our little girls (all the boy cousins were off at school, pre-school or with their papas). Matt was clearly the odd one out (not that Matt's a cousin. I mean, I'm from the country - but we're not from that high up in the hills - can you hear the Bluegrass playing?).

I spent the day in my very favourite boots. Oldies but goodies.

It was my birthday. But oddly, it felt like any other day.

We're having a take-two later in the week. I'll try and jump out of my own birthday cake. Think it's possible?

The Queen's Birthday: Long Weekend

I love a long weekend. Particularly when it involves family dos. Today we had a picker nicker at Balmoral. Another incredible Winter day. Playing on the beach. Digging in the sand. First tastes of fish and chips. Coffees from the hole in the wall. Hours in the sunshine. Catching up with cousins.

I am pooped to the max. After the picker nicker we quickly whizzed off to our friend's fourth birthday, and then home again, home again - jiggety jig. I am pooped. Bed - here I come.

Regular PMM programming will resume tomorrow. Until then.

Proof Easter Is Coming

On one of our afternoon walks this week the Doctor, Tiny and I spotted not one, but two rabbits. One was in someone's garden, just hanging out on the lawn. The other (b&w beauty) was hopping about the front lawn - and we often see him on the other side of the road, obviously these are his digs. We love the bunnies!

For me, Easter is a really beautiful time of year. That crisp Autumn air. New life. Too much chocolate. Lazy lunches. Unfortunately that was tainted a little for me when Matt and I first met. We visited one of his cousin's houses for lunch on Easter Sunday. My first 'family' meeting. I was thinking, how bad can this go? Well, unfortunately I was surprised. They served rabbit pie. How wrong is that? I gagged my way through, and ate one mouthful, oh heinous food, and pushed it 'round on my plate. Hideous. The thought still makes me sick to my stomach. I think they thought it was wonderfully witty serving rabbit pie and saying it was the Easter Bunny. I just thought it was wrong. Sheesh. Thanks for the welcome.

So here's a hostess tip for you: if you don't want to ruin Easter for everyone (for years to come - feeling nauseous just thinking about it), do not serve rabbit pie. EVER.

Countdown!

It's just one more week and my sister and niece will be arriving from Perth. I can't wait. I am so excited! I haven't seen them since July - and before that - May, when Noah and I went on an adventure to visit them. All too brief.

I can't wait to clock up some sister time, and get to know little Phoebs all over again. And maybe glean as much stitching info from Choc, she's a girl genius. I'm hoping to knock up a little quilt for Scouty. Is that too much to do in a few days?

I was also lucky enough to catch up with my other sister this week, and my nephew Oskar. Noah was so darn excited to see 'Ossie' that he couldn't stop giggling. Hilarious.

Precious little people, changing all the time, growing, laughing. Shy smiles. Curious little fingers. Full of hope and wonder, giggles and goos.