Celebrating in Style!

Celebrating your birthday in style when you're four means

Going on a steam train ride with family

 Spotting all sorts of exciting things out the window

 Experiencing the wonder of going through a tunnel

Getting to ring the old bell

The excitment of presents wrapped in brown paper

Receiving exactly what you were wishing for, even when it's as simple as a much longed-for book.

Choosing your birthday cake (and Mummy being able to somewhat replicate it)

Waking up on your birthday morning to more pressies!

 Helping to decorate patty cakes to take to Kindy to share.

I can't believe that 4 years ago he was just a babe in my arms. 

What a reminder to cherish every moment!

Happy Birthday Matt!

Yesterday we celebrated Matt's birthday! We had a quiet day at home and doing a few (boy-ey) errands in town. We went and looked at chainsaws and ramps to get the mower or scooter onto the trailer, we filled gas bottles for the BBQ, we went to the rural supply store. You know, all the fun things!

Elliot and I working on Daddy's cake. I had to buy plain flour especially for the cake! We don't normally have it in the house! But, what the birthday boy wants the birthday boy gets. :)

It wasn't all fun and games for Matt though. He started the day with a quick dash down the driveway to get the bin out after the truck came early! We missed it on our side but luckily the driver stopped for it on the other side of the street, but we were nervous! It was pretty full after Christmas, plus we were away for the last collection and forgot the time before that! He also got a call for help from his brother who's ride-on mower was broken and he needed a had pusing it back up onto the trailer. Matt really owes him because his brother came over and mowed our yard on Monday (which looked like a jungle) because our mower is broken! Hence the need for ramps to get it on the trailer, so we can take it to get repaired!

Matt's parents gave him a Bunning voucher for his birthday and it all got spent on this climbing frame for the boys! What a father, giving the boys a gift for his birthday!

We finished the day wonderfully though with Matt's choice of dinner and birthday cake (he chose a BBQ and a Chocolate, Rum and Raisin Cheesecake) and lots of time relaxing on the verandah. Oh and a great, crazy family dance to Billy Ocean's Get Out of my Dreams. I absolutely love this song, probably because when I was a kid I won a copy of it on vinyl at roller skating! I was such a child of the 80's! ;)

Matt's special request was a BBQ for his birthday dinner, which he cooked himself! Funny man!

Hip Hip! Hooray!

Happy Birthday Mattie! xx

Around Our House Lately

Things have been busy. I celebrated my 30th Birthday last Thursday (Yay!!!). I was truly not worried over the whole 'turning 30' thing. I think I've always felt older than my years anyway, so 30 isn't a big deal. My new friends made it a big deal though by organising a morning tea and cake at the park! It was such a lovely surprise! There were soooo many kids but they all get on so well it didn't seem like that many at all. We played Duck Duck Goose, a wonderful musician friend taught us a new song, we had Chocolate Cake decorated with strawberries, there was so much laughter and fun! I didn't take my camera (bummer!) but a dear friend did and put some pics on her blog!

Now, to the super exciting bit!!!! I get to introduce another addition to the family, along the same lines as Kenny but even more exciting, if that is indeed possible! Introducing .... Freida!

Freida is a Pfaff Expression 2.0 and she is just lovely. It was a surprise, but not a complete surprise if you know what I mean. I had suggested a sewing machine as a dream present a while ago but forgotten about it. Then a little while ago when we were having a weekend in Brisbane, Matt said he needed to go shopping for my present, but he came home empty handed. I said "Oh well, if you're getting me a sewing machine the shop in town sells them and you get free lessons". Anyway, about a week later he made a massive production of walking through the house with a massive box wrapped in a blanket and 'hid' it in the cupboard. Like I wasn't going to have just a little peek. And then some googling. And then some more staring at the box and wondering how I could re-wrap it so he didn't know I'd peeked. Then Elliot let the cat out of the bag, in that 3 year old way, that they couldn't find a sewing machine at the shops.

I put Freida straight to work whipping up a pair of pants for Elliot. Unfortunately I let the 3 year old loose in the fabric shop and he chose a lovely aqua colour. It wouldn't have been my choice, but anyway, they're his pants, he's the one that's got to wear them! I haven't sewn since high school Home Ec, where it's fair to say I was terrible. I was so nervous, but I'm really pleased with how they've turned out (besides the colour obviously!) They took a full afternoon, and that includes a good 30 minutes of Matt and I trying to figure out how to thread the machine, and then realising about a million times that we'd gotten in wrong and re-doing it.

Anyway, enough typing. Here are some pics from my birthday celebrations! They're sure to continue next weekend when my parent's, brother and Archie's Godmother and her sister come up for Archie's baptism! Yay for extended birthday celebrations!

Party hats all round!

Hip Hip Hooray!!!

 Touched the bottom, better kiss a boy ...

or two!!!

 Why eat chocolate cake when there's garlic bread?

Elliot was quiet in his room for ages and we found him playing a board game with two of his Postman Pat toys. He was having a turn for each of them as well as rockin it out in his lairy pants!

A wonderful day full of family, friends and cake!