I Felt Like Some M&Ms...

...so I made myself into one.

And whilst I was at it, I made Lyndon into one..

...and Monet too.

I know they don't really look anything like us, but hey, we're pretty tasty looking don't cha think?

White with One

To think once I never drank tea.

I would never drink anything hot, unless it was chocolate. (I still indulge once in a while...)

You still couldn't pay me enough to drink coffee though.

Make mine a Daintree tea please.

Straight from the pages of Vogue. Or maybe Not!!

I've been busy sewing today.  I'm not a good, neat sewer, but I can sew.  To an extent.  

If I start something I usually have to have it finished within a certain time frame or otherwise it will never get finished.  It will sit there idle until months (years!) down the track when Lyndon will ask "I thought you started blah, blah project?"  Ahem.

But today I sewed Monet a skirt.  No pattern or anything, just a simple skirt in a 'gold' gingham print she picked.  I had noticed in one of the kids clothing stores a couple of weeks back (when I was browsing with my Mother-In-Law) a skirt, made out of black and white gingham, simple straight lines, nothing too difficult, selling for $25.  The one I made today was based on that design and cost me about....umm...$2.  Maybe $3.  

I might not be much of a sewer, but my daughter certainly knows how to strike a pose. (There's nothing to it....Vogue...) One too many model/fashion shows perhaps?

Next Thing You Know, I'll Be Calling Her Claude...

Monet is getting quite good at doing drawing and painting...

She's always sitting on her little table and drawing picture after picture of us and her family.  Each drawing makes us smile and I tend to take photos of them so I will always have them.

The other Saturday morning, Monet had Lyndon and I grinning at each other.  Monet was being quite the professional artist when she began a watercolour of 'Viola', a doll that Grandma (my mother) had given her on the occasion of her 4th birthday.

She had Viola on her art drawers and Monet would stand back, study the doll and go back to her painting.   Like a true professional 'life drawing' artist.

The end result was very good.  And true to life.

I might have to frame that one.  

I Scream...

Monet and I walked down the beach yesterday, especially for an ice cream.  

Yes, it was as nice as it looks, but melted so quick you have to couldn't really enjoy it.  

When Lyndon's mother (Nanna) was up here the other week, we ate dinner one night in Cairns City. It was followed by an ice cream from an ice cream parlour, a promise made to Monet if she ate up all her dinner.  (She was always going to eat up all her dinner in the first place, she was eating a ham and pineapple pizza!)  Well, Nanna and I were not going to let Monet eat an ice cream on her own were we, so we followed suit.  

Monet indulged in a huge chocolate (so rich it burnt off your taste buds!) ice cream, Nanna had a gigantic Cherry Ripe flavoured ice cream (delicious apparently) and I?  You'll all screw up your noses when I announce that I had a gigantic Red Bull flavoured ice cream.  I'm now screwing up my nose with you all.  It was so over flavoured, I could hardly eat it.  Mind you, our ice creams were melting faster than you could say 'Urgh, Red Bull ice cream?'  We ended up piffing them into the bin - too big, too over-flavoursome and melting too quickly.

I think I'll just stick to Spearmint Choc-chip (my favourite) from now on.

What's your favourite ice cream flavour and have you ever come across any flavours that seemed quite unusual? (I know it will be hard to beat Red Bull flavoured!)

Sunday Breakfast for 3 Please

We went out for breakfast yesterday morning.  It was the perfect start to the day...   So good in fact, I think we'll be doing that again next weekend.  It was deeeelicous. 

 You can order a good breakfast and be happy or order a gooood breakfast and be satisfied in every way (food, company and wallet!)  The latter was us yesterday.

After we ordered, Monet sat doing colouring-in, which the restaurant provide for the kiddies...

Lyndon read the Sunday paper which was given to us to browse...

I sat and sipped my juice and looked at the view of part of our suburb we won't be calling home for too much longer....

And then our food arrived.

Bacon and eggs; poached to perfection, for Lyndon...

Toast with butter and jam, with a side of bacon for Monet....

and myself?  This....

...a 'Breakfast Trifle'.  The restaurant's website menu describes it as follows; (keep in mind the owner of the place has a very firm tongue-set-in-cheek sense of humour!)

“There’s Nothing Trifle about the 'BMG' Breakfast Trifle – Quiet possibly the second greatest 

breakfast dish ever invented - we have taken the humble “traditionally served at 1980’s dinner parties, 

after far to many glasses of Cointreau & apple juice or far too many chocolate oranges have been 

consumed” trifle & given it a little 'BMG' breakfast twist. But, we have endeavoured to keep 

true, as much as possible, to the trifle (or not so trifle) concept. Visualise our taste sensation when we 

take layers of apple infused oats, sugar sweetened rhubarb, roasted tropical ivory (coconut), mixed 

berries & lashings of honeyed natural yoghurt. Mmmmmmmmm, Yep that’s right - No Viagra required 

for this little puppy....Simply sublime.         $11.90 

We will be back to indulge in breakfast there again in the very near future.  

You coming with us?

Snippets.

It has been a few days since my last post.  I just thought I would write down some observations from late...

Monet and I are more alike than I previous thought.  We both hate bugs.  We hear one flying through the air and we huddle.  And shudder.  And give a little squeal.  Bugs in Far North Queensland, I have to tell you, are about the size of your thumb.  Too big for my liking.

Sometimes Company quotes surprise you.  We have been figuring out what to do with my/our beloved car.  I know I would like it when I am down at our parents place before Monet and I head off overseas (about 6 weeks after Lyndon goes).  There were a couple of people lined up from back 'home' way whom we thought we'd fly up and pay fuel for back to Victoria.  But the quotes we got back from Car Transport companies are less than what we thought, so we figure we'll do it that way (and save 4000 kilometres on the odometer).  

I have discovered the delights of tea.  I'm in love with a good brew.  From a pot.  With proper loose leaves.  *I know*  I am surprised myself.

I loved the final of Project Runway Australia, but was disappointed to read that it was edited beyond belief.  Doesn't matter.  I was still happy that Juli won.  Lyndon loved her.  I loved her work(wo)manship.

You won't believe how dirty your walls are until you give them a good wash down with sugar soap.  My kitchen walls are gleaming. 

We are organising removal quotes for the coming week.  It is 'Operation Clean Up' this weekend.  But in all honesty, we don't have that much stuff.  Once I was a hoarder (ask my family!) but now I donate so much to the local Op Shop (or tip), I find it cleansing for the soul.  

I feel the need to 'eat out' sometime on the weekend.  We had Lyndon's mother here last week for seven nights (and how lovely it was).  We ate out for five nights, for two breakfasts, one lunch and two take out nights.  Last night was the first night Monet didn't ask me why we weren't going out for dinner.  If you are ever up this way and need a recommendation to a lovely meal, please email me.  

My daughter sings Madonna songs constantly.  It makes me smile.  It is a nice change from her singing theme songs from her favourite tv shows.  Trust me.  It is.

Monet also surprises me and herself at times.  As being a big four year old, I had her immunised yesterday.  I had explained the day before that she was to get a needle in her arm and why she was going to have one.  I had a dreadful time convincing her to a) get out of her bedroom, to b) get in the car and to c) get out the car.  There were tears.  A lot of them.  No amount of bribing worked either.  But I got her in the Medical Center.  And we sat patiently and we were called.  And she had simultaneous needles given in both arms and she didn't even whimper.  I was so proud.  And so was she.  I took her to K Mart and she chose herself a bloody 'Polly Pocket Runway Pets'.  At least it wasn't a Bratz doll.  She knows I hate Bratz.

Cairns weather has been a great treat this week.  We've been haunting the balcony again in the early evenings and having a 'sipper' (mmm, Four Sisters pleazzeee).  I know I was meant to spend my last weeks in Cairns doing this, as silly as that sounds.  But it feels right.  True. 

I cannot wait to move to Abu Dhabi.  The more I read about it, the more excited I become.  I hope it lives up to my expectation now...

Any snippets in your life I should currently know about?

Got to Love Mothers and Sisters...

...and the parcels they send in the post to say 'I am thinking of you'...

Four

My Monet has been 4, for a week now.  Oh my how she has grown.  In more ways than one.

Over the past year she has gone to being an intelligent 3 year old to an even smarter, world traveller 4 year old.  She always exceeds my expectation of her.  

I cannot believe that our little girl has travelled to far off lands and travels so well.  

She has a memory like an elephant and retells stories from ages ago.  She'll tell you too about the places she has visited and what she has seen and eaten in those far off lands.  

I threw her a little get together late last week.  No games or anything, just enjoying the company of her friends and food.  There had to be particular food you understand.  Her wish was granted, I am her mother after all.

The cake was a hit.  So was the fairy bread.

There are to be a lot of changes in our lives in the months to follow.  Some things she was indeed looking forward to are not going to eventuate, we know that, but we will give her joys in other ways.  

I cannot wait to show our Monet more of the world and to enjoy the things on offer to us.  And deep down, I know Monet feels the same.  As long as she know that the world is her oyster, then, I think she'll be okay. 

Happy 4th birthday year my little one.  Happy Birthday. 

Getting There

I am getting there friends.  

The road is tough but I am getting there.  

You have no idea how much your words and knowing I am in your thoughts mean to me.  It is a comforting thought, so I thank you from the bottom of my heart.  You really have helped me along.

Life continues and our life ahead will be both a challenge and an exciting adventure.

Lyndon's job offer arrived last Monday, one of the blackest days in my life.  Lyndon said he didn't know whether to laugh or cry when it arrived in our 'inbox'.  It took him a good half an hour to open it.  I personally think it probably couldn't have arrived at a more appropriate time as it got me through the ordeal I had to endure on the Tuesday.

So, we are off to Abu Dhabi in a couple of months time.  We have lots to do around the place (sort, chuck, keep, pack, clean, find tenants etc.,) which will be just the thing I need to keep my mind off things.  Yes, I won't work too hard, I will still be taking it easy!  I'll start next week when Lyndon's mother leaves.  (I had my mum up here for 4 days last week and now Lyndon's mum here for a week.  It has been wonderful.)

Last Thursday night I kept my mind off things by producing this...

...a 'Barbie' cake for Monet's 4th birthday.  A special request from a special little girl.

It is amazing the things you can achieve when you want your mind set somewhere else.  

Tender

I have written this post about a million times in my head.  The words on this page are different to how I imagined I would write them but at the moment they seem right...

This time last week I had been told that the baby inside of me had died. Words cannot describe how I am still feeling but I cannot stop thinking about it.

I have been through an ordeal I wouldn't wish on anyone. The past few weeks have been hell, that is the only way I can describe it. Ultimately the decision Lyndon and I were to make was taken out of our control, which may or may not be a blessing in itself.

Losing a baby 14 weeks into gestation was the worst thing to ever happen to me and I am still holding a lot of grief (of course) that comes along in waves and I know will for a long time. I am not keen for it to hurry along either as I never want to forget the hopes and joys we had for the new being that was to enter our lives.

I was in hospital for four long nights but I was given lots of love and attention from not only family and close friends but also by the wonderful medical staff. I am forever in their debt.

It helps by having a gorgeous little daughter (who turned 4 yesterday) who is still struggling to understand what has happened to mummy and the baby. She 'knows' what has happened but she doesn't understand. But she has made me realise that I can still smile and laugh and love.

I know a lot of you have had me in your thoughts. Hugs to you all. We are getting there and life does go on. 

I now know there is an extra star above me, looking out for me.   This is what I have to believe in.