Hate Playing Catch Up

Cannot believe it has been just about three months since my last post.  Where has the time gone?  Is it just about December already?  Oh my. 

We had two girls celebrate their birthdays.  I'm now the mother of a nine and a four year old.  Great ages.  

My sister visited for two weeks.  I wish her visit had been longer.

We moved into our own home and are still enjoying it, two months later.

 And lots of other doings in between!

I think I have lots of catch up posts to follow….  Hopefully not so long between drinks posts this time!

The beginning of the Pool season. Already?

All week the girls have been asking if they can go in the pool.  For Lily it has been the past three months of asking most days, but I kept promising that 'this Saturday you can'.  So they did.  

The water was rather cool and they'd be no way I'd be getting in (it has to be hot and humid for me) but with eagerness in their strides, I took them down.  The water was rather coolish and they were both a little hesitant to get in....until Lily decided to push Monet in...

Of course I was sitting up the other end and I actually captured the moment.  Giggling to myself, Monet came out the pool crying and saying she hurt herself and getting cranky at her little sister.  But in the end Monet was thanking Lily as they both had a great time...

When the girls got out a good hour later, Miss Lily caught herself a head cold (seems to have mainly cleared up now) but at least I won't be hassled for a while yet to 'go to the pool'.

It won't be long until these girls gain their own private pool once again and I will probably get in more often than I do in the apartment's complex one.  

One Thousand.

Post 1000.  Sheesh.  After starting this particular blog in October 2006 and joining my Recipe blog back a couple of years ago, I have f i n a l l y reached the 1000th post mark.  

And to mark the occasion, I am blogging about the eldest, whom was the main motivation behind me for first blogging.  And to think she was only a wee little cherub and now a just-about-9-year-old.  

Monet began a program back in March, Netta, which teaches young girls and boys over the age of seven the skills of netball.  It went for a total of eight weeks, which kinda dragged out to about 12 due to rain interruptions.  

Last week the season started up again, but in great confusion, only four of the original eight in her team had re-signed, which left Monet and the other three girls, team-less.  It had been decided on the week leading up to re-starting that a new junior team would start as there were 14 girls in total without a team.  They are now 'Cairns Saints' players and affiliated with the AFL team up here in Cairns.  They have four (yes, FOUR) coaches and I can already see a marked improvement in Monet learning the game, much better than last season where there was basically zero training in the skills department.  

I already have Lily telling me that when she grows up, she wants to be a netball player.  What a great inspiration this new team is having on both my girls.

A Smokin' Sunday...

With it bound to be a beautiful day we took a drive up to Port Douglas, a 40 minute drive up the picturesque Captain Cook Highway from our place.  It was rather busy (which I expected) with loads of tourists, wandering the market and the streets.  

Our girls just love the Frozen Fruit Salad Icy Poles from a stall, which always keep them both quiet for at least 10 minutes....

After lunch and a Lily meltdown, we headed back in the car for the drive home.  I pointed out to MrL the sky in the distance so we knew we were bound to cross the path of smoke on the way home. Unsure where it was exactly coming from, we figured that it was the forest which was smouldering.  (As we drove up we noticed that it looked like quite a bit of back burning had been happening since our last visit, but there was no smoke nor fire then.)

We did pass some small flames which made Monet all scared in the back seat, but it was nothing to worry about.  We couldn't figure out if it had been deliberately lit again (by authorities) or if it had flared up because of the warm weather.

MrL stopped at the (busy) lookout so I could snap a few photos of the view.  It is a gorgeous view on an equally gorgeous day.

Just down from the lookout, is a tiny hamlet of Wangetti.  We've always talked about stopping at the beach there (not that you can see it from the road, there is only a small road sign pointing the way).  MrL drove the car down the road which was surprisingly (or maybe not surprisingly, considering the weather) busy.

It was a lovely beach and one where I could see more smoke where we would have to pass...

The girls had a great time.

One of the girls (the one who previously had a meltdown) did not want to leave.  She's very much a beach gal that one!

Back on the way home, we did pass more smoke and more little fires....

...but we did make it home in one piece.

Junior Masterchef Wannabe

I remember a long time ago (coming up to about two years ago!) I thought I would teach Monet to cook.  Or at least be capable of putting together a couple of eatable things.  But that idea lapsed (typically) after teaching her to make pancakes.  

Recently I had been encouraging Monet to come and give me a helping hand at dinner time once in a while.  So when I spied a particular cookbook teaching kids how to cook which was heavily reduced I bought it and presented it to her.  

Of course she got mega excited and wanted to make every second thing but we ended up deciding on her making canapes for lunch one day.  With shopping list in hand we sought out hummus, cream cheese, ham and carrots, but no mini-toasts.  It was bite sized plain crackers instead.  I'm all for experimentation, so when she presented the platter with crackers and strawberries mixed in with ham and hummus I thought "why not?"  

The attention to detail was fabulous.

And they were pretty darn tasty too, I must say.

Next in her line of fire was Coconut Ice.  I hadn't made that for years and she did very well on her first attempt.

I do posses a sweet tooth but heck! this was sweeeeeet!!

I did emphasize that a good cook 'always' cleans up after themselves.  She got a tick in that box on both occasions.

I just look forward to the day when my two little chefs serve me up a roast meal.  One day....one day.

Easter Bonnet

At the end of each term at Monet's school, they hold a fundraising event by holding a  Junior School disco.  This past term, the school decided to hold their Easter Bonnet parade at the same side.  

Trying to be prepared, I organised a bagful of goodies for Monet to make a Bonnet a couple of weeks before hand.  One afternoon after school she sat at the table and prepared her Bonnet (under a little guidance.)

As the Disco approached and with the hat at the ready....

Can she look any more worried?

 ... we went.  And as the Grade Threes paraded their hats, Monet was awarded one of the winners.  And she was as pleased as punch.  (I must admit I was a little chuffed too.)

I'm keeping the Bonnet for next year.  It is award winning after all.  

Happiness...

...for Monet meant a new bed.  

Since returning to Australia, Monet's bed had been our spare Queen sized one.  Her UAE bed went to her little sister.  Going from a five bedroom villa and then eventually into a three bedroom apartment has meant a lot of purging and donating of goods to the Salvos or Red Cross.  And because Monet had spent a good three years in bedrooms the size of our whole living area in our apartment, she couldn't get around her head that she had an Australian 'normal to large sized' bedroom.  Not enough room for her with the Queen-sized bed hogging near half of her floor space.  

MrL and I bit the bullet and went through with a promise we made her, in getting a new bed.  After a few weekends of both MrL and Monet doing the rounds of furniture stores in Cairns (there are not many but we had to try and work out suitable cost for a bed and mattress etc.,) we all settled on one from Snooze.  We went to PillowTalk and bought a new doona and she choose a new cover.   

Next step in the bedroom transformation was the purchase of these wall stickers we spied in a store.

And bunting.  Every eight year old girl should have bunting.  I had never made bunting before but gave it a go.  I went to Spotlight and choose three colours.  I didn't have the doona cover with me at the time but was rapt when I got home to see I had chosen very well...

Of course since this has all happened Monet has changed her room around half a dozen times, 'cause that's how she rolls.

We've noticed a more happier Monet since her new bed came into her life and the old bed was removed.

Happiness came in the form of a new bed.  Who knew?

Giggles

I *know* how many times I have blogged before about dress ups but my girls love to dive into the dress up box at least once a week.  I'm not sure who has the most fan, but I would put my money on Monet who loves to dress up her younger sister.  

Part of Lily's birthday parent from MrL's parents was a Dora dress up outfit.  Lily was not too sure at first but lately it has been getting a good run.  I laugh when I see her wear the Dora wig as I imagine that's what she would look like as a brunette. 

Monet does like to get involved too.  However she's growing up so much and those legs of hers are getting longer and longer.  It's getting harder to find outfits to fit such a tall girl...

I am pretty sure that's part of the reason why Monet likes to play 'schools' with her younger sister.  Meet Monet's alter-ego, Miss Lulu.  (A glimpse of the future I imagine...)

And here's a giggle for you all.  My Hawaiian hula girls, cross with a clown...

Eight

Look who turned eight the day after Lily's third birthday.

I swear I was in denial, due to the fact that I had bought Monet two birthday cards on two different occasions (one was from MrL & I, the other from Lily) and BOTH had the number seven on them!  Eight.  Such a rounded number.  A grown up number.  A number when I personally have a lot of memories of.

We had decided that Monet would have a birthday party this year.  Her last party was when she turned six.  So on her actual birthday we (being my parents, MrL, Lily, Monet and I) went out for dinner and came home for cake.  As you do.

The following day was 'Party Day'.  I had been preparing 'Thank-you' gifts, food ideas etc., for a few weeks but I still found myself extraordinarily busy early on that Saturday morning.  We live across from a park / playground where we held the party with eight party guests (all girls, of course!)  We sent Grandad across the road a good hour earlier to reserve the one and only table, which is undercover.

I stayed home preparing the final food.  Like Fairy Sushi.... (a big hit)

and choc-dipped waffle cones overflowing with fresh, tasty strawberries....

Earlier in the week I had organised the drink bottles for each of the girls in attendance.

Present opening from friends is always fun, is it not?

Lego was the flavour of the day in terms of presents. A big hit with her dad the party girl.

I swear, I was so very exhausted on Saturday afternoon.  It was all the preparation and then the socialising and making sure everyone was happy which wore me out!  I wouldn't have been able to pull off such a successful party with out the help of MrL, my Mum and my Dad.

Monet, I can't believe is eight!  What a great age it is currently turning out to be.  Growing up a little bit more, being a little more responsible....

And the cake!  I haven't shown you Monet's 8th birthday cake.  It was great as no leftovers!

A Productive Sewing Week

I never thought I would actually follow through on a project that I found on 'Pinterest' (google if you must), but the double-sided headbands I had pinned onto my board drew me in.  I found the instructions easy to follow (a miracle for me) and gave it a go, using my scrap material.  

All lined up and ready to sew.  Fun!

This was my result!  

Monet loves them and they just fit her (they are aimed at ages 8+) so she's bagged a couple, which she wears proudly.

My other project this week was to make complete outfits for girls.  And of course Miss Lily is my model (and my inspiration).   I spruced up a tshirt adding rosettes and buttons and Lily adored it.  You little ripper.

After a successful showing to my mother and sister-in-law via iPhone I decided to do a complete outfit for my Lily.  The photo below has had 600+ hits on Facebook so I think I could be onto something (or probably because the just-about-3-year-old is impossibly cute!)

I am hoping they are a success, as I have just posted my first available whole outfit on my Page.  =)

The Love Boat - Lego Style

A few weeks back, I took our Lego fan (Monet) into Cairns Central to see a display that was on.  Made entirely out of Lego was a 'lego-sized' ship, based on The Love Boat.  It was pretty awesome.

One half was the exterior of the ship.  On the other side was the interior.

Pretty sure if there was no one else around, we could have easily spent a good half an hour looking at all the cabins and discovering all the things which were built inside the ship.

It is amazing at what some people can build out of Lego.  We loved the 'mini-Berlin' we saw last year built out of Lego in Berlin and hopefully one day we get to see the real Lego Land in Denmark.  One day....