Two Little Twirls!

When did this happen?  When did my two little girls grow up so fast?  How did I miss this - the blonde one is almost the same height as the dark one.

 The gap has narrowed, in more ways then one and as I prepare for the youngest to join her sister at High School soon, I can't help but wonder where the years have gone. When did this sweet little goofy thing turn into this beauty?

 And when did this this little angel become such a wise and lovely young Woman?

 Some days, it just works.  Some days, it's the best feeling being a Mother, watching your children interact with eachother.   You have to grab these moments, especially with teens, because they come and go.

I spent yesterday afternoon watching these two....

Gabsie and Daisy.  They are so very different.  They are like chalk and cheese, rather then carrots and peas.  One is compassionate, intuitive and serious, the other is frivolous, cute and funny.  Some days they are like one of a half, that when put together, fits beautifully.  That was today.

I look at them together, and it makes me want to cry and laugh at the same time.  This was me and my sisters once.  My girls will always have eachother.  They will share memories, stories, laughter, heartache and sadness. They will be forever linked.  And if I'm very very lucky, I'll get to share some of their memories too, as I did today. 

This is the stuff that dreams are made of.  This is the stuff that I treasure, that I will never take for granted.

Thank you girls for being you, for making your Mama happy, and still being little once in a while!

Growing Stuff!

Summer has arrived and the sleeping garden is waking up.  It needs some work though, so David has been busy in it, pruning, cutting, tidying, gravelling, and sweating a LOT!  Hard work pays off though, it's starting to look really good and the grass is nice and green once again.

The girls are in their coop, they're loving it, and their cute little run...

 So again today, we found ourselves perusing the Garden Centres, dreaming of water features, mediterranean pots, fruit trees and exotic flowers.  And it's a funny thing, but you know you're really a grown up when you like going to places like this, instead of dragging around behind your parents..as you used to.

We ended up buying a few plants that swung both ways, which Daisy found highly amusing!

And Lucy took Auntie Ginny for a paddle in a pretty water fountain..

I think my favourite plants today were these - very Austin Power-esque! They totally floated my 'all things hippy' boat!

I wanted this - so it's firmly bookmarked for another time..

There was also enough time to view a few things small and furry, and a few more things, wet and swishy...

I could spend a long time in these places, and I really liked this little iron feathered guy..

Lucy wanted a colourful windmill...well, ok, maybe I did! ;)

Yes, I think I could work in a place like this...

Looking forward to many more days of perusing the garden centres and growing stuff...

Holidays continued......

The craziness continues at the Woods.  Poppys, 'best friend in the whole wide world' Tara, came over, and the kids couldn't care less if there was heavy downpour or just a few drops.  They still found their way outside, where they indulged in all sorts of funny games, including washing their hair in the rain...

Looking beautiful...

Loosing teeth...

Eating many lollies....

And where believe it or not, still wearing the t-shirt nightie that you woke up in, at tea-time!

Of course, there are the usual arts and crafts.  Finding them lying scattered all over the patio floor is always the sign of an excellent day!

Yep, definitely love this 'outside Art Centre', where no craft is too messy, and where pretty much anything goes..

Bye bye Tara, don't be sad, it's been a great day - and we'll see you again soon...

Bugs n Stuff!

 HOW small??

We think, although we can't be sure, that this little fella is probably the smallest snail in the world...

Look how tiny, next to Joey's hand.  I will admit, he has quite podgy little fingers, but he is only 8.

Poppy held 'Felicia'  for most of the afternoon.  She talked the snail talk to her, even made her a teeny little snail bed of leaves, and sang her a lullaby. 

Mmmm, all very nice, until.....HORROR of arachnophobe horrors - we found this freak of nature, swinging from tree to tree.  I swear, I could even hear it beating it's chest!  Ugh!

I do apologise to all 7 legged Huntsman lovers, but I am not one and this was as close as I was prepared to get to one - with my telescopic lens, telescoped to the max!  Shiver, shiver, shiver!

Fourteen Days with my Family.

Two weeks!  No more no less.  We're half way through the kids holidays and it's been pleasantly uneventful.  Davids trip to Madrid was postponed for three weeks, Auntie Ginny arrived, the kids have had play-dates, the chooks are now outside in their coop, and it's been raining on and off for the last 5 days.   Gotta love that rain, its keeping the temperatures down and the kids have been loving the freedom of playing outside and enjoying the last of the 'sensible weather'.

Little Miss Naughty was up to her usual tricks!

She seemed to have a bit of a drooly puppy-dog tongue problem today...

and she was certainly finding herself very funny...

Ahhh, time for a quick hug with 'Doey' between jumps!

Libby had fun last night, wearing her favourite turquoise scarf, that she does just love so much,  She was off partying with her friends at 'Big Night Out' at the Space.  Apparently, she danced the night away and I can believe it - this girl has got some moves!:)

I wonder what the second half of the holidays will bring?