together forever

Flower Power...

2008-04-24T12:44:00.003+10:00

For the past couple of days i've been enjoying having flowers in the house, something that i've missed since finishing work. I chose to do the wreath for our church for Anzac Day so this morning our kitchen turned into my little work space, this is the finished result...

I think i might miss floristry a bit, i was excited to see what the truck had to offer. Poor Tassie doesn't get half the amount of choice that our mainland counterparts do:( which forced me to do something that was a bit naughty... I had to buy lillies from the supermarket:( They aren't the best quality but they were the only ones that look like the would be open by Friday. They were a bit old, maybe even been kept in cold store for too long, but they did the trick. The truck had the most delicious lisianthus (purple flower below).

A New Bag...

2008-04-23T19:02:00.004+10:00

My sewing drought has broken. After telling myself "no new projects until i finish my quilt" i have dusted off my sewing machine and boy it was fun. My quilt still remains unfinished but i now have a new bag (a girl can never have too many bags) and a change mat. I dont know if this was such a good idea because now my mind is thinking of all the things i could make.

Something really cool happened tonight. I got a message from Tyler Collett on facebook, one of Levi's long lost friends from Canada. I got goose bumps, i was so excited. We've been looking for this guy for ages so i cant wait until Levi gets home tonight to tell him the news, he'll be stoked!!!

Curls...

2008-04-19T10:27:00.002+10:00

Aren't these just precious!! I love Will's curls, in the morning he looks like he has a mullet hehe. Bubba is back to his normal cheery self which is so good. From Monday we can venture out amoungst other people, i'm excited!!

2008-04-09T21:14:00.002+10:00

We have a date...

10th of October

By the end of October our little family of 3 becomes a family of 4:)

Sick Bubba...

2008-04-09T20:56:00.004+10:00

Our poor baby has the German Measles:( It started a week ago when he got a runny nose, his first cold ever. Then the spots, fever and coughing came. He's even lost his huge appetite!! Our days have consisted of mini naps, grizzles, cuddles, lots of water drinking and one sad little man:(

It makes me sad to see him not his usual cheery self.

The Black Balloon...

2008-04-02T22:00:00.005+11:00

Tonight we went to see "The Black Balloon" It's an Aussie flick. It takes you into the life of a family with an autistic teenager.The film follows Thomas Mollison, the brother, and the challenges he faces being a teenager and having to care for his autistic brother.

It's a very good movie, very realistic and close to home. I have such huge respect for those who face these challenges every day. It gave me a little insight into what it would have been like for Levi's family growing up. Corom is our very own black balloon. It is so frustrating sometimes, not knowing what he is thinking especially when he's not himself. I forget how special he is sometimes, i was especially reminded the day President Hinkley died. Corom knew before any of us. We were all at the beach and Kim had taken Corom for a drive. While they were gone someone received a text saying that the prophet had passed away. When they got back from their drive no one could believe that Corom was telling Kim in the car that the prophet had died. No one here had told him, Kim didn't know, it wouldn't have been on the radio. It was a gentle reminder that Corom is special and is here to bless us... and humble me. Since becoming a mum it has put a whole new perspective on many things, it's made more emotional, maybe a can blame that on pregnancy;)

This was taken a while ago, it's probably the nicest on we've got the big man.

Eddystone Point, again...

2008-03-17T22:01:00.005+11:00

Last Thursday we loaded the car and headed to Eddystone Point... again. Levi has gone diving crazy. He invested in a wetsuit and weight belt the other week and cant stop thinking about trips to the coast to catch the elusive crayfish. Which is fine by me as this might be a little safer than motorbike riding, I get to enjoy the sights and hopefully will be treated to a crayfish one day?!

Kim and Deidre came with us this time, they even camped!!! They haven't camped in years and much prefer to stay in accommodation these days so this was pretty special:)

After setting up camp we headed for the beach so Levi could catch us something yummy to eat. Just minutes in the water Levi hopped out... he was being followed by a stingray, a huge stingray!! You could see it from the rocks i was standing on, it was surrounded by 5 smaller ones. We quickly moved to a new location and there was another one but smaller:( So third time lucky we moved further down and were able to get a nice feast of abalone. After being freaked out and a little disappointed, Levi asked the ranger the next morning about stingrays in the area. Luckily the big ones were only Scates (a stingray without the stinger) the actual stinging ones don't grow to be very big in the area. This soon calmed his poor troubled mind.

A scate similar to the one at Eddystone Point. This one was hovering around the boat ramp at Bingalong Bay. They must be fairly common.

We enjoyed an evening walk to see the Bay of Fires. Truly the most beautiful beach in Tasmania. One day i would love to do the whole walk, i reckon it would be awesome.

Speaking of awesome, we had one very tired bubba at the Bay of Fires who cackled every time Grandma would say "awesome" it was so cute i don't think he has ever laughed as hard! Sorry no "awesome" photos, it was too dark to get any decent ones:(

In pursuit of calm waters we checked out Ansons Bay and Policeman's Point. Policeman's Point being the winner. Kim and Didge tested out their new gear and had a go at fishing.

The three budding snorkelers.

William testing out his new backpack, he loves being up high. Luckily the hair pulling lost it's lustre fairly quickly.

Can you see my Two Teeth Aunty Emmy??

To finish off the trip we headed down to St Helens and enjoyed the beauty of Bingalong Bay. The boys went diving again and speared a fish, an edible fish:) We spent our last night in accommodation. It was so nice to have a shower and flushing toilet:)

So all up it was a lovely trip, beautiful scenery, great weather, not too sleep deprived, good food, no major disasters and arrived home safely.

Next destination hopefully the West Coast...

3+1=4

2008-03-12T17:28:00.002+11:00

Yes i'm pregnant:) 10 weeks today. I thought i better post something before everyone knows!! Levi was a bit excited and kept telling everyone and on Sunday night announced it at our family and friends dinner. Only symptoms are little light headed, dont like strong smells, increased appetite and bit tierd. I'm excited to have a little newborn again but a bit scared to have 2 little ones to worry about, but everyone does it and if i want to get to my goal of 8 i better start popping them out now, hehe.

As of yesterday i stopped breastfeeding. I was going to BF up until bub is born because i thought by doing so i would escape the huge sore boobies but apparently it doesn't work that way:( So yesterday i pigged out on everything dairy, chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, cheese, milk, ice cream and custard, boy it was good!!! I LOVE dairy, William better appreciate the sacrifices i have made over the past few months!! My boobies are a bit sore now, i thought i'd almost dried up as i was only feeding him twice a day, but no there is still some milk in them. Do they just stop producing milk?? I might have to do a bit of research.

Special visitor...

2008-03-03T21:34:00.003+11:00

Last week i decided i wouldn't start any new sewing projects until i finish my quilt. I started this quilt 2 maybe even 3 years ago. It has taken me so long that i'm over it and just want to start a new one!! But i have to finish it, i'm so very close, just have to do a little more quilting and edge it, hopefully with my sewing strike it will give me more encentive to finish it by the end of the month.

Tonight i have a special visitor... Mr Spider, he is staying on the outside of our lounge room window for the night and will hopefully checkout before 9am.

Levi hates spiders so luckily Levi has Corom tonight and wont have to meet our friendly visitor. However i'm leaving this pic as a special surprise on our desktop, i'm sure he'll love it!!!

Eddystone Point..

2008-03-03T20:22:00.006+11:00

When we go away for the weekend, it is always a spare of the moment trip, usually decided the day before. This one was slightly different, with 2 days notice;)
Eden and Steph invited us to come camping with them, Buffy and Bec and the Ziesel boys.

Destination: Eddystone Point.

Purpose: To feast on any seafood they could catch.

Outcome: Abalone the only edible catch of the day.

I was quite skeptical in going on this trip, the memory of last camping trip was still fresh in my mind (hard ground, claustrophobia attack from small tent, sleepless night due to crying baby and not to mention the after affects when i got home-William's interrupted sleep). We also had an engagement party to go to Sat night and i had the lesson on Sunday. I was not going!! Levi really wanted to go so there was no stopping him, which would leave me carless and lonely so Friday morning i changed my mind and off we went. I'm so glad i sacrificed my sleep beacause it was beautiful!! Pure white sand, good weather and beautiful scenery. I think it could be in my top 3 favourite places in Tasmania.

Next time, bigger tent, porta cot and more than overnight stay.

We had 3 batchelors on our trip, Ben, Sam and Laurie. Ben and Sam sleep in the car so they were fairly safe but poor Laurie had surround baby crying sound. Next time ear plugs will be a must... if there is a next time.

Levi looking very sexy, hehe.

Laurie watching the others diving.

We had a beautiful sunset, the pic doesn't do it justice.

William playing with the Abalone.

A rare opportunity... William sleeping in my arms, he NEVER goes to sleep in my arms, he was very tierd!!

While the cats away the mice will play...

2008-02-24T14:35:00.005+11:00

Friday morning we decided to brave the cold and go for a ride on the fourwheeler. Levi took us on the Tasmanian Trail, from our house to Chudleigh. It was very pretty, beautiful views of the end of Gog. We live in such a beautiful place.

William loved it!! He was excited the whole way there but fell asleep on the way home. I'm a bit concerned that he's going to want to ride dirtbikes when he's older:(

Yesterday we farewelled Emily Dee:( She's moving to Adelaide for 6 months. There were a few tears, It was very sad. I know 6 months isn't very long in the scheme of things, but it will be very quiet and lonely with her gone. We miss you Aunty Emmy:(

So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye Aunty Emmy:(

Country Boy...

2008-02-21T21:44:00.007+11:00

Today we had nothing on the agenda, i love days like these:) so off we toddled down to the farm with camera in hand. William loves being outdoors, if it were up to him we would spend all day outside. I too love being outdoors however we have one problem... FLIES!! I hate flies!! Flies are 10 times as worse in the country, especially if there is cow poo around!! You are constantly swatting them away. Despite the flies we had fun taking pics on tractors, trucks and beside hay bales.

Also something to note is that William is getting teeth!! Finally!! They started to push through early this week, two bottom ones. I know you cant see them in this photo, but i tried, it just didn't work:( I'm really going to miss his big gummy grin:(

This is William at dinner time. He LOVES his food!! He cant get enough fast enough! For breakfast this morning he ate 2 weetbix with soy milk and water plus mummas milk. Both me and Levi have healthy appetites so maybe it runs in the family?? If this is the case we will have a very expensive grocery bill in the years to come especially is we have lots of boys!

This is the view from the top, always smiling, wanting more food.

This is the view from the bottom, when he's excited about food he swings his legs, it's so cute:)

Survivor...

2008-02-21T10:04:00.004+11:00

Happy Happy Birthday...

2008-02-18T16:37:00.004+11:00

On Saturday we ventured to the Chudleigh show, my highlight was watching the wood chopping!! The thing that amazed me the most was that the majority of the men were 50+ and the winner was at least 70 maybe 80 years old, twice the age of some competitors!! He was a absolute gun!! After the show we went to check out the Meander Dam. It's pretty big and is in a really nice spot. I love the views around Meander.

That night we dropped William off at Lola's (my mum) and headed into Devonport to the Ellimatta for Hannah's birthday dinner. It was delicious. Emily had Slop, Erin and Lisa playing her Keno game. No actual betting goes on just hypothetical betting. She swears she has the touch. I'm not sure how it works, but she always seems to get 2 of more numbers out of 5. Lucky she's a member or she would be the biggest gambler out, hehe.

After tea we went back to Tammie's for cake and fondue. It was sooo yummy!! I had a bit of dairy, maybe a lot of dairy, i couldn't resist, the fountain was right in front of me!!It was a fun night and unfortunately we had to leave early before William turned into a pumpkin.

Beach Babe...

2008-02-18T16:11:00.004+11:00

On Friday we went to Hawley with Em and Laurie. We've been to the beach a fair bit this year and every time I try to take William for a swim he ends up in tears. However not today!!! He went right in! The waves didn't even phase him, i was very proud of my big boy.

After we all got out of the water Laurie and Em sunbaked and we hung out under the shade of a tree.

More Sewing...

2008-02-18T15:40:00.004+11:00

This past week i've been sewing yet again. I finished off my apron something i've been meaning to do for a little while but always seem to get distracted by other projects. It was a practise run for making the one that i gave Didge for Christmas. Luckily i did have a practise run as i came across some teething problems, i didn't realize that sewing plastic would be so tricky! I'm sure there is a real easy solution, i just haven't figured it out yet.

I also made Hannah a bag for her birthday, and Tayla and Jayne a "Toni's wrap skirt" each.

Can you guess which skirt is for Jayne and which one is Taylas?? Tough eh??

2008-02-11T15:10:00.001+11:00

Christmas has only just been, and the stress of last year is still fresh in my memory, that is why i'm starting early!!!
This is William's Christmas present, i just finished it this afternoon. It's a miniture tepee for him to play in, i dont know if he'll be very interested in it this year, but it was fun to make and hopefully will be enjoyed for years to come.

Smile and the whole world smiles with you...

2008-02-07T22:28:00.000+11:00

I just had to share a couple of cute photos of William i took yesterday. It was a bit wet outside and William had just woken up, a perfect time to take photos!! One of my favourite things in the world is William's big gummy smile. It has this amazing ability to cheer you up and out of the darkest of moods.

William has been so good lately, so patient!! Today I dragged him around all day in Deloraine and into my favourite fabric store without him getting too cranky!! Usually if i go into a store of my choice he doesn't stay in his pram for very long, so i was very pleased i got to browse til i wasdone:) I finished my bulletin board today, it took me about an hour, if that. It isn't that strong but i think it looks good, so im happy, just have to find somewhere to hang it.

Obsessed...

2008-02-06T13:39:00.000+11:00

I had no idea sewing was so addictive!!! This love afair has been going on for 4 months now, and in that time i've made: 6 cushions, 1 Dibert, 2 books, 1 1/2 aprons, 2 bags, 1 pincushion, 1 sock monkey, 1 toiletry bag, attempted 2 tops, hemmed 2 pairs of pants and mended a couple of other items from my wardrobe. This love affair has also led to an obsession with fabric! I get so excited at the whispers of a sale and automatically i'm thinked about what my next project could be and reasons to accidently go past the shop.
Last week i bought some fabric from Picture Patchwork in Latrobe and made a bag, a skirt, PJ pants and a pincushion all in under a week. I dont know if this is very healthy, but i figure every person needs a hobby even if it is turning into an obsession;)
My next projects will be: a tepee for William for Christmas, a bulletin board, to finish off my quilt and start a new one and another bag.

A new nappy bag- a girl can never have too many of these!

A wrap skirt thanks to Toni's easy tutorial. Thanks Toni:)

Pajama pants from a mens pattern, with a few alterations-bands around the legs and waist with a drawstring.

A pincushion just for fun.

Mr and Mrs Kurt Burford...

2008-02-04T18:40:00.000+11:00

Saturday started out looking a little overcast, not the ideal weather for an outdoor wedding, but luckily the skies cleared and by 4pm it was perfect. Danielle is one of my friends from school, one of my crazy and very giggly friends from school. She is funny, always having a joke and getting up to all kinds of mischief and a true sweetie. The ceremony was lovely, and in true Danielle style she had a bit of a giggle at how the celebrant sounded on her microphone. She looked stunning, and so did her bridesmaids, Katrina and Emma.
After the ceremony was finished and the photos taken we headed inside for the reception. A 3 course sit down dinner with yummy cupcakes for the bridal cake. They did the bridal waltz, then it was our turn to hit the dance floor. It was tonnes of fun dancing, even Levi got up and had a boogie!! Before we were aloud to leave they told us all to go out to the front of Rutherglen and wait for a special surprise. They had organised some fireworks, it was beautiful, very romantic!!! It was an awesome evening cant wait for the next wedding, will it be Nicole and Simon or Danielle and Matt???

Confessions of a closet blogger...

2008-02-04T17:11:00.000+11:00

Looks like my little secret is out, i am a self confessed blogger!! A closet blogger at that, but I'm not the only one, aparantely Mel has been a bit of a closet blogger too. So now that my secret is out i'll have to watch what i put on here, no more embarassing swarzeneggalike photos!!
I've also been encridbly slack and showing my true journal writing colours, so here is what has been happening the past months in photos...

Christmas...

The Taste...

Road trip to West Coast...

YW camp...

Fishing...

Goodbye Jarom and Kristy...

Family Photos...

Happy Birthday Emmy...

River fun...

Goodbye Belm and Andy...

Plus Fil's bridal shower, Ajay's 1st birthday, Australia Day beach fun, New Years eve at Kim and Deidres, Nicole and Simon's engagement, swimming and Mel's Birthday lunch.

Young Womens...

2007-12-12T22:15:00.001+11:00

Last Sunday was my last Sunday in Primary:( I'm a bit sad to leave Primary and all the kids, it's been fun. They are such a good bunch of kids, i hope that they've enjoyed it as much as i have.
This Sunday I'll be going to Young Women's!!! I'm a bit nervous but excited at the same time. I still feel like i should be in young women's!! It should be tonnes of fun, I've heard that the girls are really lovely, no dramas. Jayne is the president and Em's 2nd councillor, so it'll be fun serving with those two. Hope everything goes well, more time and responsibility, YIKES!

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...

2007-12-11T08:34:00.000+11:00

Friday we went hunting for the PERFECT Christmas tree. 10 minutes into our hunt and we were done!! Usually we go with the whole family but this year Kim and Deidre are faking it with a up-in-5seconds tree, much to Emily's disgust, who by the way is in Queensland. Jarom and Kristy already have theirs and the Websters got sick of waiting for us and too have already got theirs. So this year it was just us, i think this was the secret to our 10 min hunt!

We were a bit naughty, actually it was all Levi's fault, Will sat on my lap instead of his car seat the whole trip! Highly illegal, much like Britany Spears' efforts last year.

I think William can sense the excitement and is getting into the Christmas spirit, especially when we were decorating and he got hold of the Christmas decorations. Currently i'm searching for edible gifts for extended family, i'm thinking truffles maybe cookies??

SOLD??

2007-12-11T08:13:00.000+11:00

Last Friday Kim and Deidre had some very keen New Zealanders come over and look at the farm and house. I'm pretty sure they were impressed:( The guy sounds like he LOVES farming, and his wife loves the house. This is a dangerous combination! It sounds like this bit of paradise could be sold in July next year.
We went for a walk up the farm the other day to take photos and footage for Kim's Christmas present. It was beautiful. Levi has just started the video, it's making him a bit emotional. I dont think he realized what it will mean if the farm is sold until these people came and he started the video. It will be very sad for us if it sells... when it sells.

Solids...

2007-12-10T22:08:00.000+11:00

For the past couple of weeks William has been eating REAL food. He's 6 months now, I don't know where those 6 months have gone?!?! Oh yes, I was feeding, playing, burping, changing (both of us) and settling my bundle of joy, how time flys when your having fun;)

Anyway, my big boy has had: sweet potato, pumpkin, banana, apple, pear custard and potato. Favourite so far has been the pumpkin, not so fond of banana. He is so cute when he eats, however i do miss the ease of just being able to breastfeed him and him being satisfied, i'm so lazy!

Schwartzenegger Classic...

2007-12-04T14:00:00.000+11:00

It's over... After three months of trying to eat reasonably healthy and exercise regularly, the Schwartzenegger Classic is over.

Levi did really well, didn't eat any junk for 2 months (i was just corrected, oopps!!), which was his goal. He even passed on yummy deserts!! After the 2 month was up he eased his way back on the junk and now is loving it again!! He lost 9kg and his photos look really good!! I reckon he'll win.

Me, well, my belly is getting better. My goal was to loose my baby belly before baby no 2 comes along, so i've still got a little bit of time. I was going really well, running 4km a couple of times a week, but as the days warmed up, my enthusiasm died as it was too hot to run in the day. I lost 4kg.

Here are my results...

Mr and Mrs Watson...

2007-12-03T23:22:00.000+11:00

Introducing Mr and Mrs Watson...Last Saturday, after a very short bus trip we arrived at the secret location, the banks of the Meander River, where this beautiful couple chose to be married. It was a beautiful evening, no wind, no rain and even some daylight, which was wonderful because that the wedding started at 8pm. It was short and sweet, they exchanged vows and rings and sealed it with a kiss.
After a few photos and hugs, we boarded the buses and headed back to the Deloraine Club for the reception. It was a lovely night, they make a beautiful couple, may they enjoy the years to come and cherish one another.

Mrs Watson..

The Girls: Melanie, Louise, Belinda, Catherine, Biz and Danielle

Katrina, Eliza, Nicole and Danielle

Happily Ever After...

2007-11-26T20:35:00.000+11:00

Here is what I've been up to the past couple of days:

Past week: We have been taking William to the pool down at Kim and Deidre's. He is so cute in the water, he's really starting to get use to it, except for when i dunk him under, it might take a bit of getting use to that one.

Levi and Corom playing in the pool.

Mummy's little swimmer!!

Friday: It was a gorgeous day so off we headed to the beach. When we got there it was a bit windy so while Levi braved the waters and went swimming me and William played in the sand and filmed our Baywatch babe.

Where are my feet mummy?

Friday night: I went to Catherine's Hen's night at the casino. We had a 3 course buffet at Links which was yum. I sat between Katrina and Danielle which was a crack up, me and Katrina didn't like the baked cheesecake so she made it into a sculpture along with all the other leftovers. After that we went down to the licenced area which we couldn't go into because they wouldn't let Erin, Cab's sister in because she was under age. After they found out that she was under age they watched us like a hawk and asked us to leave another area later in the night. So we played some games in the lobby, we looked pretty funny but we didn't care. All up it was a good night. It was good to catch up with the girls however i would have liked to talk to some of them a bit more. I dont often go out with them because i dont drink and party like they do. We all live our separate lives now too, doing different things, different stages of life, not like it use to be in high school. Well not for me anyway, it makes me a bit sad coz i had some awesome friends in high school and now they are like strangers. Mostly my fault though, i kind of abandoned them when Levi came on to the scene. Belm came around today for a visit which was nice, she is the main one who gets us all together, she's a beautiful person. She showed me her photos of her trip to NZ, i really want to go there now, it looks so pretty, she had tonnes of fun. Belm and her boyfriend Andy are moving to Qsld in Feb, i'm going to miss her, one more person to visit in sunny Qsld. Anyway, I hope Cab had fun, probably the last night she will have out with the girls as Miss Blair. The Wedding is this Saturday, it is going to be beautiful!! They are a real cute couple and she will make a gorgeous bride.

Me and the bride-to-be

Clare, Biz and Erin

Dani, Cab, Belinda and Anna

Saturday: We went to Leven Canyon, out the back of Ulverstone. I've been wanting to go there for sometime now but every time i suggest this as our destination Levi knocks me back. However today i won and off we went to find Leven Canyon. It was such a long drive, lots of corners. By the time we got there i was feeling a bit car sick but with some fresh air i was feeling better in no time.

Guess what I'm doing??

Will started to get a bit hungry so to save time he drank while i walked!!

The View was awesome!! Similar to Alums Cliffs but much bigger. The pictures don't do it justice. Definitely worth the drive.

Christmas cheer...

2007-11-22T10:00:00.000+11:00

Every year i am a self confessed last minute Christmas shopper, which means rushing around like a mad woman trying to find the perfect present for everyone and ending up broke at the end of it all.
Every year i tell myself next year will be different, I'll buy throughout the year and be ready months ahead. This never seems to happen:( The year goes too fast and suddenly it's 2 weeks to Christmas and i haven't even thought of what to get everyone.
This year it is going to be different. I'm having a handmade Christmas, I'm making all my gifts this year thanks to the new addition to the family, my trusty sewing machine (love at first sew).
I'm about half way through and really enjoying it. However this way of giving does prove to have a few challenges, I'm finding myself wanting to keep my creations and I'm still stuck on what to give a few people, especially the men of the family!! Hang on I'm always stuck on what to give men, they are impossible to buy for!!
Any way our house has been littered with thread and material for a couple of weeks, and probably will be till Christmas day. I'll post pictures when we get a camera again, it is driving me batty not having a camera!! We've got a camera now, here are some of my gifts...

Fishing Adventures...

2007-11-14T06:43:00.000+11:00

Since Levi went on the hike with the the boys he has been fishing crazy!!! Which is great for me because i love fish:)
On Monday we spent the whole day fishing...
Spot 1. A little bridge in Mole Creek that Eden took Levi to. Fish everywhere!! Most were only babies but still to smart to take to Levi's lure. It was still fun to watch them swimming about under the bridge.
Spot 2. Lake McKenzie. After no luck at the bridge we headed to Lake McKenzie. As we were driving up we decided to have a go in the canal leading up to the lake. Well, after a quick go to see if there was any fish in the canal Levi hooked a nice one, which got off, we decided that the canal was defiantly worth our while. So we made a few stops along the way, spending a bit of time at this one bridge which had lots of fish swimming around it. This time i got out my rod but to no avail. Levi had a few bites but no success. So up we went to the Lake. This was disappointing, it was so low, no luck here. lucky we had the canal otherwise it would have been a total waste.
Spot 3. Lake Rowallan. We thought since Catherine's class went fishing here we should give it a go. No luck here though:( So we took a road called "Fish River Road" which sounded promising. Quite a pretty road, no real easy access to the "Fish River" though. We followed the road to the end which took us up on top of a mountain with a beautiful view of the lake. This road was no ordinary road, there were big rocks scattered all along and on the road. This is were we got into a little bit of trouble, we were going so well until we hit a rock and it put a nice hole in the muffler. This was ok a little noisy but bearable. As we continued down, we hit another rock but this time the muffler came off!! Levi had to jack up the car, put a rock under it and clamp the muffler back on. This went well considering the jack was dodgy, there were not that many suitable rocks around and Corom was with us. We then had an extremely noisy trip home, headache material worthy, and William slept through it all the way home!!
No fish but a fun day all up.

Yesterday, Tuesday, Levi and Kim fixed our muffler in the morning, (what a blessing) and then we went for another fish, i told you that Levi was obsessed. We tried our luck in the Meander river this time. We went to a spot where Levi stoned a big fish a couple of months ago. No luck:( We went further downstream. The river was so low and not much flow so no luck there:( When we got back to Deloraine we went around the river walk out the sawmill way. This was a bit more successful. There were fish, i even had one take a bite, Levi had a few chase and bite, but alas no luck:( Nice walk though:)
Feeling a bit sad we went down to Dynans Bridge near home. This time we got in the water even me and William!! We waded up the river, William asleep in his Mei Tai, it must have looked so funny, all in the pursuit of a fish for tea tonight. It was about 6pm and we were about to head back for basketball at 7pm and Levi hooked a nice rainbow trout... and it stayed on!! It was so exciting!! our 2 day fishing adventures had finally proved fruitful!! After a few more attempts me and Will went to the car whilst Dad continued to try his luck, no luck. But that didn't matter we had tea tonight, so we were happy. This is where we will go fishing from now on i think, it's a nice easy wade, track on the side of the river, and close to home. Hopefully i will catch one this season!!
No photos for a while our camera is being repaired:( Hope it's back for William's first Christmas!

Catch up.. AGAIN...

2007-11-05T16:07:00.000+11:00

Here is my attempts to recall what happened over the week...

Last Wednesday Levi left for a 4 day fishing trip with the boys at 3AM in the morning!! These boys are real enthusiasts, who leaves at 3am in the morning?? Levi got probably 2-3 hours sleep coz we were up packing his pack which weighed in at a whopping 23kg. Levi took enough food to feed a small army, better safe than sorry;) Anyway they went up to lake Meston, Levi, Ben, Sam, Jordan, Luke, Eden, Jarom, Laurie and Dallin. It was a 5 hour hike in to where they were camping. Not long into the hike Jarom had an asthma attack!! So him and Laurie turned around and came home. I think he was pretty disappointed. Pre smoking days, when he was healthy, he would have done the hike easy, probably one of the first to the top. It just shows how important the word of wisdom is from a physical point of view. The rest of the boys soldiered on and enjoyed a couple days of fishing, friendship and almost perfect weather. Perfect in the sense that it didn't rain (except for 1 night) which it was forcasted to do the whole time they were gone.

To my surprise Levi, Eden and Dallin came home early!! Friday afternoon instead of Saturday evening. Levi came home with lots of pretty pics and a rediscovered love for the outdoors, hiking and fishing. Something I'm excited about coz it means nice walks and fish to eat:)
While Levi was away i enjoyed having the house clean and stay clean, not having to cook, visiting teaching and a bit of girly crafty shopping.

Wednesday i went Visiting teaching with Jackie to Ali's and Got Visited taught by Liz and Mel all in one day, the last day of the month, whoops. It was a very good message, it was about preparing for the second coming. I took out of it that it is up to me to prepare the home through the small everyday things that i know i should do. Which will help my family and to also build up my own Spiritual strength for myself in the trying times to come.

Friday morning i went to Picture Patchwork in Latrobe, a gorgeous fabric shop. I had told myself that i wasn't going to start any new projects til i finished my quilt but i couldn't resist Dilbert....

This is going to be one of William's Chrissie pressies, I've almost finished him, i got a little excited. I also bought some fabric for some cushions which I'm tempted to start but i wont and some scrapbooking supplies from the shop across the road. I'm going to try to have a handmade Christmas this year, i hope i stick to it!!

Saturday i went to the craft fair with Em, my first time with a baby!! We had to walk everywhere, luckily it was a nice day!! I love Deloraine, it is quite pretty no wonder people move here!!

I didn't buy much only some soap, yummy food and a trip on the Carousel!!! The highlight of the day. William found it so relaxing that the man warned me that he looked like he was about to fall asleep and may fall. I think this might have to become a tradition, it was lots of fun. While we were at the craft fair Levi went fishing and caught a yummy trout, I'm already benefiting from his trip up the lakes.

Yesterday after church we went for a Sunday drive up to lake McKenzie. We were going to go to where they started their hike but we didn't have quite enough petrol. On the way we found a nice little walk to Gadds Falls, it was quite pretty. William kept looking up through the trees, he thought it was fantastic, an ever changing mobile. Such a pretty walk, nice and quick too.

Trunk or Treat...

2007-10-29T19:02:00.000+11:00

Scary!!

Friday night we had a "trunk or treat" night at the Websters house, it was tonnes of fun. Everyone had to dress up the boot of their car and the kids went around trick or treating. We went as Mr and Mrs Dracula with an adorable little bear (William). It was fun dressing up, Levi got right in on the make-up idea, hehe. We looked quite scary, Will kept on looking at Levi, i don't think hew was quite sure if it was daddy under all that eye make-up.

Our little bear

For our boot I make up some little concoctions which they had too find Dracula's teeth in before they got their lollies. We had Dracula's vomit which was the foam things that melaluca pack their products in mixed with water. Gorilla brains which was porridge with red and blue veins through it. Maggots which was overcooked rice. Egyptian Mummy intestines which was red spaghetti. And for a bit more decoration we had a skeleton in a vase, frozen hands, spooky music and spider webs. It got a bit messy towards the end, we also had to ration out our lollies, their were more kids than what i thought, opps.

Bring on Summer!!!

2007-10-29T11:18:00.000+11:00

Last Thursday we went to Hawley beach, one of our spare of the moment trips which we tend to do alot. It was such a beautiful day that it would be a crime to spend it inside.
It was Williams first introduction to sand between his toes and the fresh cool waters. He wasn't very impressed, it wasn't half as nice as the warm tempratures of his beloved baths.
Usually when we go to the beach it's sunny but very windy, however his day was a different story It was gorgeous, not a whistle of wind. Cant wait for more picture perfect sunny days.

What a cutie!!

Growing...

2007-10-22T22:58:00.000+11:00

My baby is growing too quickly. I keep telling him to stop growing but he isn't listening. His only 5 months and is already not listening to his mother, I'm in trouble, hehe.

Each day i marvel at this beautiful little boy, the accomplishments he makes, the way he communicates and the joy he brings into our lives.

Boogie Wonderland...

2007-10-22T13:41:00.000+11:00

Friday Night was the YSA Dance. Young we are, but single we are not, so we dont get to go to too many dances these days. However, Em invited us to be shaperones, I was so excited!! I love to dance!! The theme was "Ma and Pa" dress up as your grandparents. Lots of people dressed up, i was very impressed.

We arrived half an hour late and when we got there there were 5 people sitting in the foyer... and thats it! So we had the whole dance floor to ourselves for the first hour. People eventually started to turn up, about 30 people in total, which was pretty good for the amount of YSA up north.

I even got Levi up and dancing:) We left at 10:30 thinking that Will would be up and wanting a feed. But to our surprise he had slept the whole time we were gone, what a good baby!

Stranded...

2007-10-18T21:48:00.000+11:00

Yesterday we went into Launie to pick up some Tupperware and to visit Devin and Anna and on the way home we broke down:(

As Levi was gaining speed to overtake, the car died... we pulled over and there was this funny but nice smell accompanied with smoke coming from the bonnet.

With only Levi's phone which had no credit our hearts sunk. We were stranded. Luckily no too far away from Westbury.

Levi took a look under the bonnet, a pipe had busted, water everywhere but in the radiator. After letting it cool and topping it up we continued to drive/roll our way home. We didn't get very far maybe 100m?? After several similar intervals, we got the pram out and walked along the highway and to Thomas and Natasha's. We must of looked quite the couple walking along the highway, me pushing the pram Levi following behind. We were joking about us looking like we had had an argument and he was trying to get me to go back to the car, hehe.

We then called Kim who came to rescue us in the mighty Peugeot. By the time he came it was cold, we were assuming the worst and Will was VERY tired.

Broken car+60km towing+cranky husband+screaming baby+no heater=should never be mixed, could prove fatal. It wasn't that bad really, quite funny looking back on it.

There were a few blessings...

1. Levi was driving.

2. Levi was with me (I was going to go on my own).

3. We had a big lunch (Elimays).

4. We were close to Westbury.

5. We had the pram in the car.

6. Will was happy for most of the time.

7. Thomas and Natasha were home.

8. Kim was home and able to rescue us.

9. We made it home.

10. The BIGGEST blessing was that it was and easy fix job. No blown head gasket, just a new pipe was needed. Fixed this morning. Here i was thinking i would be house bound for days... oh the thought of that was scary.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, and a million more Thank you's.

Meisha May...

2007-10-14T22:06:00.000+11:00

Yesterday i went to Emma's baby shower. It was good fun, Kit and Ashley, Josh's wife organised it. Lots of awesome games and yummy food. We were even lucky enough to have Emma there!!Emma opening presents

Liz and Becky in the bottle game

Last Tuesday Emma gave birth to Meisha May Porter. She came 3-4 weeks early!!! Before her baby shower, which was yesterday. She weighed in at a tiny 4 pounds and measured 43cm. She's beautiful! They both are doing well, Emma looks fantastic!! You cant even tell she's had a baby!!

Darcy, Lil and William

A Cure...

2007-10-14T14:56:00.000+11:00

We went to the doctor last Wednesday for William's skin, it was just not clearing up which was driving both of us insane!

It's eczema:( She prescribed some cortisone cream just to take away the redness and suggested using QV bath oil and cream.

WELL... I love QV cream!!! It has improved his skin 110%. It's my miracle cream!! I've still got to get rid of his cradle cap, but that's my next project.

Before...

After!!

Sunny days...

2007-10-10T19:36:00.000+11:00

Yesterday was a glorious spring day!! A friendly reminder that summer is almost here. We went for a walk down to Kim and Deidre's and found Em sleeping in the sun with Sunset the cat. We then chatted for ages and soaked up the sun, mmm cant wait for summer and more days like today. When we went home who do we find sitting on the fence talking to the cows... COROM!! He looked so cute up there, you could see him from the road.

Levi has had Corom for a few days now, after Jarom quit. He hasn't been too bad considering that he's been off his medication!! I was quite surprised to see Corom so happy outside, it was great. He's VERY lively off his medication. He's been pretty bad, head banging and shocking in the car. It's very strange, it's like his possessed in the car, grabbing and hitting, basically finding anyway he can inflict pain on anyone near him, including Levi who is trying to drive. It's a bit dangerous so Levi's been wrapping his hands together anytime he has to drive with him. Corom is so complex, you could spend hours trying to figure him out, I don't understand his behaviours at all!! I guess that's the thing with autism. I'm a bit paranoid that Will will have autism or one of our kids. I don't know what I'd do, i think it would break my heart. Just seeing Corom bash his head on the concrete is bad, if that was Will I'd be hysterical!!

Bad Skin...

2007-10-08T23:02:00.000+11:00

For the past couple of months Will has been suffering from a dry eczema- like rash. No matter what i use it wont seem to go away!!! It's spread to his whole body now, he looks so dry and terrible:( We went to the clinic last Thursday, but our beloved Athlene wasn't there, there was a different lady. I must admit she wasn't very helpful at all, So on Wednesday we are off to the doctors. I really hope it will pass, fingers crossed.
Yikes... Will will be 5 months next week, that has gone too quickly! I wish i could keep him as a baby forever. I had a sad moment in bed the other night, thinking Will is going to grow up. What will he look like, what will his personality be like, will he still let me cuddle him??? What if he's a brat? If he is anything like i was i'm in trouble!!

Oscar's 2nd Birthday...

2007-10-06T14:48:00.000+10:00

Oscar turns 2 tomorrow, so today Toni threw him a Thomas the Tank engine party at the train park (Oscar is obsessed with trains hence the theme). It was so cute!! The kids loved it! Toni made lots of goodies and this awesome train cake.

The weather was beautiful, the train wheels even started to melt!

It was nice for the kids to hang out with friends and eat yummy party food, nice for the "big " kids too:)

Tonight Levi has his High School 10 year reunion. I think he's pretty excited. Dont know if i can go yet, have to see if Didge can baby sit.

Let it snow...

2007-10-06T13:59:00.000+10:00

Yesterday we went in search for snow to make a human snow man. The boys thought it would make good footage! So Levi, Jarom, William and I packed the old Honda (Levi's 632000km miracle car) and the bikes and drove up to Lake Mackenzie up past Devils Gullet. Half way up i was beginning to wonder if there was going to be any and our efforts had been in vain, but sure enough when we got up to the top there was plenty. The boys were keen to take there bike in the snow, so while they road i fed and introduce William to that cold white stuff called snow. I was quite surprised that he didn't cry, he even thought it was quite tasty.

Snow Baby!

Snow Riding.

After that we found a nice patch of snow to build our snow man. Now this wasn't your ordinary snow man, this was a in cased human mx snow man, the handsome type! Levi donned the wet weather gear and got covered in snow. After we had finished Jarom set up the bike and started the camera. Then... Arghhh!!! Out bursts the possessed mx snowman. It was so funny, pretty good idea Jarom. Hopefully we'll get back up there with more people for a couple more takes at it. Overall it was a really good day.

Seasons...

2007-10-03T15:07:00.000+10:00

Tasmania has the weirdest weather!! We've had all four seasons in one day today. Rain, wind, sun and snow on the mountains. With the weather so wild outside, i'm suffering from a bit of cabin fever, haven't been for a run in a week!!! Only 3 weeks left of the schwarzaneggalike classic and my belly is still there:( Oh well at least i'm eating healthier and exercising!

Primary Presentation...

2007-10-03T14:59:00.000+10:00

Last Sunday we had our Primary presentation. It went really well, all the kids spoke well and sang beautifully, i was very proud of them all. We have such a good bunch of kids the sweet spirits never cease to amaze me.

Lunch Date...

2007-10-01T12:09:00.000+10:00

Last Thursday I went out for lunch with Deidre and Emily. We went to Laurel Berry Tea rooms in Mole Creek. I had the quiche, which is really good for me who hasn't been able to stomach egg things since falling pregnant with Will. I quite enjoyed it, it had spinach and sun dried tomatoes through it which was yummy! I am loving sun dried tomatoes at the moment, i have them on everything!

After our lunch we went to Alums Cliffs. It was a little cold but we braved it!! The view is incredible, one of my favourite short walks, it only takes about 15min.

It was really nice to get out of the house and spend time with Didge and Em.

Photo Shoot...

2007-10-01T11:39:00.000+10:00

I LOVE PHOTOS!! After looking at some pro photos on the net i decided to give it a go at home. So with our new camera, William and black canvas and snapped away until the inevitable happened... Will Weed!! It was quite funny, i knew it would happen, how could it not?!

Here are some photos...

I want to give it another go sometime, with better lighting and when Will is not so rashy.

Days...

2007-09-25T12:25:00.000+10:00

A typical day in the life of Louise Triffitt...

Feed....

Burp...

Change (sometimes me aswell as Will)

And most of all... Cuddle, kiss and play!!!

Thrills, Spills and Crashes...

2007-09-24T15:11:00.000+10:00

Saturday was the YM Stake Billy cart Race which was held here on the farm. Every ward came with there high tech vehicles all battling it out to snatch the title from Deloraine, winners of last years comp. Little they could do too stop his unbeatable team of boys, who took out the title once again, GO DELORAINE!!!

There was everything spectators, such as myself could ask for... beautiful weather, gorgeous location, hair-raising action and men at the barbeque!!
Me, Toni, Emily and Tayla

And the crowd goes WILD!!

However the day didn't go by without a crash or two, maybe even a unconscious leader, oops!

Sweet Dreams

2007-09-20T22:31:00.000+10:00

My most favourite thing about breastfeeding is the odd occation when Will falls asleep.
He looks so beautiful and peaceful it's so hard to put him to bed sometimes. It made me think tonight how much Heavenly Father must really love us. I bet he enjoys watching us sleep too, like our children, it's the only time we cant get up to mischief.

Job Title: Mumma

2007-09-19T23:37:00.000+10:00

Why i love my job...

I get to work from home
sleep in in the mornings (sometimes)

Flexible lunch hour
able to exercise when ever i want

No dress code

Rewarded often

Play all day long

spend time with the cutest baby in the world

Help shape someones future

Enjoy each new achievement

I had no idea that i would love being a mum so much. It is by far the most rewarding career path i could have ever dreamed of;)

Date Night

2007-09-19T17:18:00.000+10:00

Sunday was our 2 year temple anniversary, so to celebrate we went out for tea on Tuesday night.... without William!! It's the first time we've both been away from him at the same time. It was a bit weird, and a little sad. We left him in the more than capable hands of Grandma and Grandpa Triffitt. Bags Packed, Ready!!

How could we leave such a cute baby?

He was soo good, no major tantrums. Just played and slept, the life of a baby!

It was nice to be out on our own, we went for dinner at the Ellimatta Hotel in Devonport. It was very yummy. After that we watched the spirit of Tas leave, then quicky back home. Gone for 2 hours, no dramas, i reckon we could do this again.

Mei Tai

2007-09-19T16:33:00.000+10:00

I LOVE my sewing machine!! On Monday i made this Mei Tai (Asian inspired baby carrier), it took me all day to complete. I was so proud of my efforts considering this was my first time at following a pattern! Here is the link to where i found the pattern, thanks Beth!!http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/man-tai.shtml

New Camera!

2007-09-18T17:19:00.000+10:00

On Saturday we did a bit of shopping, primarily for a bouncer/mobile for William. We came home with a few more other goodies, like a new camera! I broke our other one, so we were up for a new one. Levi loves the new camera, testing out all the functions and settings. It is so compact, I'm scared were going to lose it. Levi has already told me that him and only him can use it on the beach. I cant help it that the sand jumped up and wedged it's self in the lens:)

This was the first time we've been shopping with the pram in town. Never have i seen so many prams! I guess when your all waiting for the lifts you do tend to notice it opposed to taking our normal/pre-baby escalators. Gone are the days of whizzing around the aisles, fitting through tight spaces:( for 10 years anyway:)

On Saturday night we had an awards dinner for the youth. It was so lovely the YW all dressed up, they looked so pretty. Em and Didge received their YW necklaces for completing their personal progress. It was a sit down dinner and catered by Gout (Cameron). The food was delicious!! I wish i could hire a chef for all our meals, mmmm. The youth had organised the whole thing, a job well done!!

SMILE DIDGE

Sunday night we went to Kim and Deidre's for tea. After tea we had a look at some old slides. Marveling at how skinny they use to be, how daggy their hair was and how cute the boys were.

Em doing a bit of yoga

I'll have to continue updating when i get back from my hot date with Levi. Our first night out on our own!

Yummy Mummys

2007-09-18T17:00:00.000+10:00

Whoops, i nearly forgot Thursday!! Thursday was our Yummy Mummy's group. We met at Katherine Robbins' house. Almost everyone was there! Everyone (except Simone) are pregnant or have just had a baby, talk about a baby boom. I know sooo many people who are having babies or have had a baby this year it is madness!!!! Will will have lots of kids to play with!

We just sat around and chatted while the kids played. The kids must have loved it, i have never seen so many toys, it was like kids paradise!

Afterwards i went to visit my old boss, Gai, in her gorgeous shop in Westbury. I love Gai, she is full of stories and laughter, we get along real well even though she is twice my age. I got to catch up on all the floristry goss and check out her work in progress, he beautiful 19 century building that she is renovating. It will be gorgeous when it is all done.

I love her little shop too, it's a cute second-hand/artists/anything she likes shop. I bought my cyclamen and a sewing book off her. I could have bought these cute booties from Nepal as well but i resisted.

I really should visit her more often, she really makes me smile. Next visit I'll take a camera!

Bingo

2007-09-18T16:30:00.000+10:00

Whenever i hear the word "bingo" it reminds me of 2 things, 1. playing it when young with all my mums Filipino friends after their club meetings and 2. Mr Bean. Don't ask me why Mr Bean, i think there must of been an episode where he plays it??

Anyway, Friday night we had a ladies bingo night at the Webster's. It was loads of fun, even if i didn't get a BINGO out of the whole 22 rounds. There were quite a few ladies there, 21 i think? We all came with a $10 pressie to put on the table. Ever time someone got "bingo" they got to pick a gift, some ladies (Kit) had several presents by the end. At the end of the night those with multiple gifts got to choose their favourite one and put the rest in the kitty where those who didn't get a bingo drew straws to pick a pressie. I was lucky and got a skin care pack, one of Sarah's donations:)

Unlucky at Bingo:(

What made the night was Jackie. When we were all seated she pulled out her microphone to call out the numbers, she's a crack up!

BINGO!!

The boys and the kids were banished to the garage for a game of pool and the odd bench press. I think Levi had just as much fun as I did challenging Dean and Jarron.
You may be wondering where Will was when all this was going on... Well, he spent the night in the garage with Levi listening to the some Spanish tunes. He didn't cry at all, i think i might have to invest in some Spanish tunes of my own!!

Dairy Adventures

2007-09-18T16:20:00.000+10:00

On Tuesday last week we went milking with Levi!! It has been over a year since I've stepped into the pit or even got the cows in!! Slack, I know. Anyway, Me and Will helped Levi get the cows in, we road the bike while Levi walked:) Then watched Levi milk the cows and feed the calves. Then after standing back for most of the milking we were able to wash down the dairy!! One of my favourite things to do, I think it's Levis too. It took him a while to let me man the hose, i was quite surprised that he let me do it with Will. We must of looked hilarious, a mumma with baby, hosing down poo with this powerful hose. It was quite fun, if Will becomes a fireman when he grows up, I'll know where it stemmed from.

Catch Up

2007-09-18T16:14:00.000+10:00

I'm already showing my true journaling colours!! It's been a week, a busy week when i look back on it! Here is my attempts to bring you up to date.

Giggle!!

2007-09-10T11:17:00.000+10:00

William did his first REAL giggle last night, it was sooo cute! It reminded me of when Catherine was a baby:) Jackson, Mel and Dean's son, was pulling faces at him and out of nowhere came this gorgeous giggle! I've been trying to get one out of him this morning, not having much luck though:(
He was so good last night at dinner. Deidre bought him a little bouncer that vibrates so he just bounced the night away til 11pm!! He was awake and happy for 5 hours straight AWAY from home, this is an all time record for him, he must really like the bouncer!
Anyway I better go and do my Trim Taught and Terrific before Will wakes and Levi comes home.

Bakers Beach

2007-09-08T17:15:00.000+10:00

I love wombats! When ever we go to Bakers there is always wildlife everywhere! Today there were 8 wombats and lots of wallabies and kangaroos. We even go to pat a wombat, he was very cute! We really tested out the pram today as the track to the bird hide was a bit bumpy in spots. Levi even pushed it up a steep sand dune! This is when I accidentally got sand in the camera which is now busted, opps:(

Us- Levi, Louise and William

William enjoying his first time sitting up in his pram.
Levi and William (look at that big smile)

Louise and William. Mummas little monkey.

Joy

2007-09-06T14:54:00.000+10:00

This is our beautiful son William, taken today while playing on our bed in the sun, one of our favourite past times.

Farm Adventures

2007-09-06T14:26:00.001+10:00

Yesterday me and William went for a jog down to visit Levi while milking. JOGGING? I know, crazy as it seems, i've just started to exercise again after doing nothing for about a year. This is all part of trying to lose my post pregnancy belly before baby no. 2 comes along!

We visited the calves, had our nappy changed in the sun, watched Levi milk and teach a new calf to drink and visited bedridden Grandma Didge.

William was'nt quite sure about the calves, they were very noisy but adorable! I will be so sad when the farm sells:(

First Post

2007-09-06T12:27:00.000+10:00

I am a self confessed hopeless journal keeper! This is a desperate attempt to record times we've had, are having and will have before they become lost in my memory!
This will have to be short and sweet, as I am typing whilst feeding Will, I have become a great multi-tasker these past 4 months!