Christmas 2014

Well Christmas Day for 2014 is done and dusted, how was yours? Mine was fantastic as I got to spend it with my whole family. We had the day at my daughter Rachel's house and she did such a wonderful job organising the day for 18 people - although my car was pretty full of food, alcohol, crockery, cutlery and various other items needed to accommodate all those people. Attending was Rachel her fiancee Luke and daughters Clare and Mikayla. Luke's Dad Ian and brother Chad, Dianne and their new baby Marly. My son Shane his wife Stacey and their boys O'Shea and Finn. Also my ex-husband Paul with his wife Betty and their two sons Nick and Dean. Back 21 years ago when Paul and I were divorced who would have thought that we would someday be spending Christmas together. Even though it was a pretty civilised divorce I would never have thought life would become so comfortable. It's a shame as I know of so many families that are so filled with hatred they can't see the damage their hatred is doing to their loved ones around the such as their children. I know of some situations where one of the couple do their utmost to turn their adult children against the other parent. Why! Why would any parent be so cruel as to to do that to their child, small or grown. Life is to short to have any hatred, spite or revenge burning inside you. Don't get me wrong there were times when I wanted some sort of revenge. Like the time I wanted to cut one of the legs of his Hugo Boss suites but all I could think about was how expensive they were. So what did I do?? I took them outside and jumped on them. It got my frustrations out and I was once again relatively settled. But getting back to my point. Sitting at the table on Christmas Day with my whole family I realized that way back when our hurt was so bad Paul and I did the right thing for our children and now we both get to enjoy our two wonderful grown children with their partners and their children. All I can say is "Who would have thought"??

If their is anyone out there going through the crap of separation/divorce please try and remember that that hatred is really only hurting you and your children if you have any. I'm not saying you can't dislike the other person more than any one else on this earth but please don't let it govern your future. Wishing you all the very best Christmas Wishes. 

Mikayla (19 months) enjoying the sunshine

O'Shea (3) having fun spraying the cool water spray on his face

Finn (1yr) enjoying all the fun going on around him

Clare (3) running, dancing, singing, laughing etc.!

My handsome son Shane and his youngest baby Finn

My beautiful daughter Rachel and her youngest Mikayla

It was Papa's job to put the basketball ring together!
Look at that concentration!

Wilsons Promontory Weekend

This weekend I am having a relaxed camping weekend with a girlfriend (Robyn) at Wilsons Promontory National Park. Based on archaeological records this area was occupied by Indigenous Australians at least 6,500 years ago. The first Europeans to sight the area is believed to be George Bass and William Flinders back in 1798. Lobbying by the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria and the Royal Society of Victoria let to the area becoming a permanent National Park in 1908. The Wilsons Promontory was used as commando training area during World War 11. A memorial to commandos who lost their lives in World War II is located at Tidal River. During the Black Saturday Fires of February 2009 throughout Victoria, trees in the Wilsons Promontory were struck by lightning, which then led to the loss of up to 50% of the national park through extensive fire damage. But the area has come back with as much beauty as you could ever imagine. Today we went for a 5km return to one of the parks iconic locations Squeaky Beach. The beach gets its name from the rounded Quartz sand that "squeaks" when you walk on it. There are some amazing rock formations at the northern end of the beach that create a maze of passages you can explore. 

Made from Pinterest - Crayon Art

Think I have mentioned this before, but I'm saying it again - I really love Pinterest. It gives me a place to store all those wonderful ideas I would like to do some day. Trouble is most things do just that, 

sit there and never get done. So I have set myself a challenge (yet another one) to try and do one pinterest pin each week. 

I saw pins about melting crayons when I first got onto Pinterest, thinking it would be something nice and bright to bring into my all white bathroom. I already had a canvas that would be the perfect size so off I went to buy lots of crayons and the cheapest price I could get. 

Luckily I have grand children that can have fun with the colours I didn't use. 

Crayons at the ready!

 First up I took all the papers off the crayons. 

Then I glued them along the top of the canvas with the design going from dark to light. 

I wanted a rainbow affect - Clare says I got it 

Then it was outdoors with floor coverings down and some old clothes on. I had read where as the wax melts it can splatter a bit, as it did. Then with my hairdryer in hand I started heating the crayons. It took a while to get them running, but once they did we were off and running. I do like artwork with a bit of a meaning, so seeing this was going to be positioned on the wall at the end of the bath, I thought the word RELAX would be nice to look at while lying in a bubble bath. 

Now to RELAX in a bubble bath

I wasn't sure how the crayons (still not really) would react in the steaminess of a bathroom so I sprayed a few coats of clear varnish on it just to be on the safe side. I'm pretty happy with how it has turned out and Clare (3) told me it looks like a rainbow. So that makes me happy. If you are into Pinterest, give something a go. Don't just let all those pins sit there gathering dust and cobwebs!!

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween everyone out there. I find it very difficult getting in a Halloween state of mind as I don't regard it as a Southern Hemisphere occasion. But for all those who do, have a great night.

Clare looks so beautiful for her Halloween night 

Mikayla doesn't have a clue what Halloween is but how cute does she look

I have had a great week with lots of fun and some revelations and important decisions made.

Firstly the fun part was looking after my two beautiful granddaughters Clare and Mikayla while their Mum and Dad are sunning themselves in Thailand for a week. We had lots of fun with painting, swimming and going to a party.

Clare at her swimming lesson

The girls loved being at Gail's birthday lunch

They are such good girls but when they went to their Nana's for the weekend I did enjoy my bubble bath and full nights sleep. I pick them up again on Sunday for some more fun. 

Today was another great one starting it off with a very inspiring group of friends. The discussion during the morning made me aware of a toxic so called friendship I have in my life. It also made me consider whether I want this type of influence in my life. Why must some people feel they have to talk behind their friends back? I'm the sort of person that if there is an issue I would rather talk it directly with the source to get the correct story. But unfortunately that's not the case with everyone!!! What should I do, what would you do? My weeks oracle card for this week now makes perfect sense. I WILL have the strength to make the right decision. 

Animals, Animals and more Animals

How many pets have you had throughout your life?

Having recently lost our beautiful little Zoe, it got me thinking of all the love I have received from the animal world throughout my life so far. So I sat myself down and made a list of all the pets I have had and loved. There has been very few times in my life that I haven't had some sort of pet. In fact the only time I can think of was our time living in Toronto, Canada back in the 1980's. So today I would love to share with you a list of my four legged (and in some instances two legged) family throughout my 61 years.

1. David - Golden Cocker Spaniel. 

David was my first animal. I presume I loved him but I don't really remember him. 

David (that's the dog, don't know who the boy is!)

2. Fritz - Dachshund (Sausage Dog). 

Fritz was a lovely dog and he was definitely my Dads dog.

 I remember the day he died was the first and one of the only times I saw my Dad cry. 

Fritz

3. Moe. 

Not sure where Moe got his name? 

Moe

4. Freddie - Poodle. 

My cousin Susan owned Freddie's father (Cuddles) and while visiting I just fell in love with this fluffy little puppy. Dad said we couldn't have another dog as we already had Fritz. 

So what did Mum and I do - we smuggled Freddie home under a blanket in the back seat with me. 

Freddie

5. Jack - Galah. 

Dad bought Jack home after finding him on the side of the road with a broken wing. 

Jack

6. Sam - Magpie. 

This was another new family member that Dad found with a broken wing. Sam was definitely my bird. He would sit on my window ledge and sing to the records I was playing. He also barked exactly like our dogs. 

Sam and Me

7. Blackie and Brownie - Bantom Hens

8. Chooks (Hens) - not really pets as we ate them. 

9. Lots of different types of birds in averies

10. Budgies and Canaries

11. Buttons

Buttons

12. Butch - Mix

Butch

13. Tara - Dalmation

As she had her papers I fully intended to breed her with another Dalmation. But she had other ideas and she got out of out our yard and mated with a black Labrador. 

Oh well - the eight pups she had were pretty adorable. 

Tara

14. Fish

15. Guinea Pig

16. Mice

17. Rambo - Mix

We owned Rambo while we lived in New York. 

He had the habit of jumping in the bath while Shane (my son) was having his bath. 

Rambo

18. Tammy - Mix

I must say out of all the animals I have had Tammy would be close to being my favorite. 

She had such a gentle, sweet nature. 

Tammy

19. Caspa - Black Cat

Caspa was my son Shane cat.

 He got her for Christmas and for many years they were constant companions..

Caspa

20. Zoe - Miniture Poodle, Australian Silkie Terrier Cross

Beautiful Zoe was a beautiful dog - if maybe a little loud. 

Zoe

Missing In Action

Yes I am still here, just have been missing in action for the past month. I really wanted to write every day during my 30 Day Challenge but even though I have stuck (pretty much) to my other challenges I haven't written in my blog at all. I guess life just got in the way because I have had a pretty busy time with friends, family and life commitments. It has been a pretty good month. I have done a few markets with my jewellery DavineRaeDesign, spent time online with some very inspiring groups of friends that have motivated me to get up off my bum and do the things I want to do.

DavineRaeDesign Collection

I have also started volunteering with Wesley Do Care and have spent some time with a lovely 84 year old gentleman who is in need of some company. I can honestly say our visits will probably do as much for me, if not more than it does for him. I have also had a wonderful few days spending time with both my children Shane and Rachel and their families. It's exhausting but I love having my four grandchildren (Clare, O'Shea, Mikayla and Finn) around me. They all have such different personalities and I can see my two babies in all of them. I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful family.

Clare

Finn & Mikayla

O'Shea, Clare & Mikayla

O'Shea

With only three days left in our 30 Day Challenge I have put a mini challenge out there for each challenge member to spend 10 minutes each day on some "ME TIME". I think we should all spend some me time every day because we deserve it. My "me time" today will be tonight when I sit down and do some cross stitch I am almost finished. How about you? Do you deserve some "me time"? I think you do. 

30 Day Challenge

They (whoever they are!) say that if you do something for three weeks it will become a habit. Well I have decided to put it to a test and set myself a 30 Day Challenge. My challenge will start tomorrow, Wednesday September 24th and go until October 23rd. As I suffer with a few allergy issues that Doctors have no idea what is causing them, I have decided to put my ideas into action. So I am cutting out potato chips, sugary sweets and soft drink out of my diet, because I think these could be contributing to the problem. 

Just a couple of my deductions

Also as I am still having major issues moving my frozen shoulder and I have been doing my exercises every day for the past four months without much progress I have decided to do thirty minutes of exercises for the thirty days and see what my progress is.

I am also one to write lists for everything I have to do. Unfortunately more often than not my lists just get added to instead of diminishing. So another part of my challenge to myself is to complete something from my to do list each day.

My Goals

Do you have issues that you would like to work through? Are there things in your life you would like to out of your life or are there things you would like to bring into your life. You are more than welcome ato join our little group on our Facebook page or otherwise just join me on my blog. Together we can all turn wishes into habits.

My week in Lilli Pilli

Well my week in Lilli Pilli (outskirts of Batemans Bay) comes to an end tomorrow morning. I have had the best time hanging out with my son Shane, his wife Stacey and my two adorable grandsons O'Shea (3yr) and Finn (9mths). I don't get to spend a lot of time with this half of my family because we live in different states so it is really special when we are together. One day O'Shea and I went for a walk to the beach which is only about 300 metres away. We had fun exploring all the nooks and cranny's of the coastline.

There was lots of exploring done at the beach

Little Finny boy decided to stay home and have a snooze 

Then there was the day we went to the park for a picnic and a play

Most of the week was just spent just spending time with the boys although today we all headed off to the Mogo Zoo. Strangely I had never heard of this zoo but I was more than pleasantly surprised. It was really well set out and had a pretty good range of animals for a small seaside are. Finn had a happy day as usual, he is such a happy little man.

The big Silver Back was spectacular

This guy was having a bite to eat but kept his eye on me

O'Shea should sleep well tonight as he hasn't stopped running around all day. He just loved looking at all the animals even the huge Burmese Python that had a full belly of something large.

These guys also kept an eye on me

I am really going to miss these guys when I get back home, luckily I have Skype  so I can see their beautiful faces.

My Solo Journey

Today I headed off early on my journey to Batemans Bay where my son Shane and his family live. Knowing that the distance between Eltham and Batemans Bay was to much for me to do in one day I decided to stay in Eden for the night. 

After heading off just after 7am my first stop to stretch my legs was a couple of hours down the highway at my cousin Susan's. It was also nice to spend some time with her. Then it was back on the road stopping every now and then to have a stretch. One such stop was in the tiny village of Cann River. Cann River is alway a must stop, not only for a loo stop but the bakery has the best lamington. 

Finally after 544kms I reached my nights destination Eden. Considering the distance I had driven I felt ok but my eyes were really tired so it was time for a snooze. After a refreshing hours sleep and a bit of a walk it was time for my much awaited dinner. Fish and Chips down at Eden wharf. Not to many meals are better than fresh fish and chips by the water.