MANUAL!. Took the kids for a quick trip to the playground so they could burn off some energy and I could have a practise.
I did not use the auto setting at all, not even once!.
This is my favourite shot from the day.
I am happy with my first attempt.
Helen xxxxx
Well not really. We are redecorating our Lounge, which also happens the contain the couch that our dog Butch has claimed as his very own!. Since he lost his best friend over 3 years ago and since he is now 11 years old and starting to show his age, he does get very very spoilt.
Anyway back on track. I have never really like our lounge room and it was only recently that I realised why, it was way too old for us!. Our style has changed a little since we first moved here so its getting a makeover.
The first (and cheapest and easiest) thing to change was the red wall.
the colour itself was really nice but it was just way too dark for the room. (Yes I only JUST remembered to take a “before” shot).
After a few coats of paint, the room is now much brighter.
Now I know its not as exciting as the red but it makes a huge difference. Only problem is that now that old blue couch claimed by Butch looks even worse!. Oh and yes those red cushions have since been removed as well. It was just habit to put them back LOL.
Not that he seems to mind…..
Next on the list are some new curtains….which will be going up this week. I also need to update and then re-hang the collection of photo frames which go above the couch .
After that we plan to replace the flooring , remove the interesting looking “step walls” (to the left of the chair in the 2nd picture) AND get a lovely new leather couch. Still not sure if we replace the couch now and try and keep Butch off it or wait until he “you know what” and then get a new one but honestly that could be years away and I am not sure If I can wait that long.
So this is stage one, with a few more to go. Will keep you all updated as I go along.
I have a long week of gardening ahead if I can fit it in between School, Kinder and now a sick child 
Take care
Helen xxxxx
This week I got a present. Its a late Mothers Day/Early anniversary present from Steve, a tripod for my camera. Tonight I braved the cold and had a little play. It was fun though trying to get a picture in focus was quite difficult.
Keeps me off the streets though, so that has to be a good thing LOL .
Will have another go soon ……. but maybe when its not so cold and windy brrrrrr.
Helen xxxxx
Here are a few things that have made me smile over the past week…..
New gumboots for Miss Matilda,
I love the colours they are just so cool.
Auskick….
and the fact that I got to watch it from the warmth and comfort of my car.
This picture…..
which Declan drew last year and is now hanging proudly in his bedroom, I just love it!.
Matilda and her love for all things edible (and some things that are not!).
She is back into the Mandarin phase, would eat them all day everyday but I need to limit her to just one a day otherwise she ends up with terrible nappy rash
Declan and his desire to learn….
He won his second Homework Award this week and got 100% on his spelling test He also designed the most gorgeous pair of earrings for me for Mothers Day which his teacher made. I must remember to take a picture of them.
Riley and his cheeky little face…..
Sometimes he is such a handful and other times he is just the sweetest He is thriving at Kinder and coming up with all sorts of ideas (some good, some not so good). He is really starting to think about situations and always tries to negotiate a better deal for himself!. He has been unwell over the past week, croup (again!!!!). Lucky for us he just takes it in his stride and deals with it.
It was a good week
OK better get a move on, I am about to attempt roasting a whole chicken for dinner tonight, wish me luck.
Helen xxxxx
Well thought I should do an update on my photography course. There is not much to update at the moment LOL!. I have just had my third lesson and so far its just theory and learning the basics of photography. I now know about aperture and shutter speed and how they work together. We start our field trips in a couple of weeks.
I have been trying really really hard to stay off the “auto” setting. The results are not always great but we will get there.
As usual I have taken many shots around the garden (plants co-operate so much better than children). The light was just beautiful this day.
just realised that these photos are proof that I am waaaaay behind in my gardening, oops.
There is just so much to learn before I can even start taking decent photos. Plants are not so hard, but moving objects are proving much more difficult.
This shot is not great but was so cute I just had to show you……snotty nose and all.
This past week has been crazy busy. Still full from our huge KFC feast on Monday (Declans birthday). Tuesday I worked at Officeworks, helping out with stocktake, Wednesday we had a lovely afternoon tea at Kinder with Riley (photos on the other camera!) followed by taking a very nasty fall at school and hitting his head very very hard (so far he is OK but was pretty upsetting at the time). This afternoon Matilda had her MCH 2yo check up which which was all good Trying to fit this in around the usual daily chores and comings and goings has been a challenge. I am really looking forward to my sleep in on Sunday morning followed by breakfast in bed with the paper.
Hope you all have a wonderful Mothers Day.
Helen xxxxx
….Declan is nearly seven, OMG that sounds so old!. His birthday is actually tomorrow but we have been celebrating this weekend, albeit very quietly.
On Friday night Declan came down with Gastro . The poor boy was so worried that he would be too sick to even have his birthday, which I assured him would not happen but as it turns out we had to scale down the small family party we had planned for today to keep from spreading his germs.
To cheer him up we handed over his present two days early ( he was going to get it one day early anyways) so we now have a very happy young man with a DS. I guess this is training for having a teenage son as its now very hard to get more than one word at a time out of him IYKWIM!. We are trying to be strict from the start with the amount of time he can spend on it each day , so far so good.
He is such and amazing boy. We are always complemented on how lovely he is by teachers, friends, family and complete strangers. He has thrived since starting school, can’t believe we almost held him back. He loves to learn, is so proud of the work he does and has made some very special friends along the way. He draws at least one picture every single day, though usually its more. Cars, monsters, Ben 10 and now his new DS are his usual subjects. When he is not drawing, or playing PS/DS he is building with his Lego. AFL is turning into another passion for him, he is a devoted Collingwood supporter (Yes!) and loves “kicking goals” every day at school and on Saturdays at Auskick. Still can’t believe he is 7……where is my baby?.
So day 3 of celebrations and his actual birthday will see him receiving a couple very small gifts from us and then ending the day with KFC for dinner (his choice……YES!).
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DECLAN xxxxx
On a completely different topic now, despite the long hot summer that has just passed, we did have one success in our garden, our very first lime from our lime tree.
The last 2 years we have had a few limes appear but they would fall off long before they grew to a decent size. This year they decided to “hang on”. I attribute most of this success to the extra water the tree received…..the extra 450lts it received…. a few months ago at the height of summer. I had the hose on it from the water tank but then forgot all about it until the water tank was completely empty…ooops. We still have many more limes to come as well but this is #1, isn’t she beautiful!.
Sorry it was so long.
Have a great week, I have plenty planned to keep me busy.
Enjoy Life
Helen xxxxx
….the terrible two’s LOL. Actually she has been there for a while but Matilda is now officially 2!. Her birthday was last Saturday (yes, I am very slack with my updates) and she had a ball. All the family happened to pop in at the same time to wish her Happy Birthday so we ended up having a “mini” party for her. She loved the presents, loved the cake, loved the attention.
She is zooming along with her development at the moment. Chatting away constantly, annoying her brothers constantly and getting into mischief. She loves to draw and play cars and loves horses and her baby dolls. She will play outside every chance she gets and is at the “me do” stage where she wants to do everything herself . She is always asking “why” when told not to do something. She can sulk with the best of them and throw a tantrum beautifully. She loves to “go to shops” and will not leave the house without her hat on and her bag over her shoulder. She is a girly girl and a tomboy all rolled into one.
Declans turn is this weekend with another “mini” family party planned. He is so excited as he knows what his present is …a DS… I wont see him for a week once that box is opened.
My camera course is going well. I have had 2 lessons so far and now know about Aperture and Shutter Speed. In a few weeks we will be heading out on some field trips to really have a play with our cameras, cant wait for that bit.
Hope you all have a great weekend, stay warm and enjoy life
Helen xxxxx
