Monday, March 31, 2014

Sunday, March 30, 2014

Presently~ 30/3/14

Presently....

~ looking at pictures of Lesmurdie PS history
~ listening to various podcasts on iTunes.
~ relieved that this project is almost done.
~ hoping I won't be up too late.
~ seeing lots of cool stuff that happens at school.
~ wondering if she'll like it.
~ dreaming of doing my own scrapbooking.
~ loving be able to help.
~ thankful for feedback on a regular basis.
~ inspired to live better by the book I'm reading.
~ going nowhere.
~enjoying the big kids helping with the little ones.
~ feeling exhausted by this huge effort.
~ counting down the pages left to go.
~ ever grateful for the contribution of a great principal to a great school.
~ in awe of everything she has achieved (with help of course).
~ trusting that it'll work out right.
~ wishing it was already finished.
~ anticipating clicking buy now!

My entire Sunday was spent making a Photobook for Mrs Elphick's retirement. I didn't even stop for dinner.
♥  

Saturday, March 29, 2014

Friday, March 28, 2014

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Around my garden


This is my view when I'm sitting on the couch or at the computer in the evening. It's my favourite in the house. At sunset it's just beautiful!

 Pink Hibiscus

A chance discovery.

  Cream Hibiscus

 We have this super awesome tree in our backyard. I think it may be a Magnolia but I have yet to confirm it. It has that great sitting spot in the middle of the trunk.

 
Close up of the leaves and buds?

 We also have a massive Eucalyptus too.

Bandicoot tracks.

This is my second favourite view! Love all these massive mature trees.

These is the least favourite view. The fence is around the septic tank which was put in the second half of 2013 before we lived here. In the process they trashed most of the lawn leaving a dusty sandy wasteland. There's a patch of barely coping lawn under the washing line. (I am in LOVE with having a hills hoist again. I never realised just how small the old line was until I hung 3 loads and still had room for more up here). There are two Frangipani trees by the line as well. I think a lack of water will prevent them from flowering this year- but hopefully next. And the larger one has a grape vine on it but the 28's got to the grapes before we did. Hopefully come April when the weather is cooler we'll get this area sorted into nice green lawn.... at least we won't have anything to dig out... except the roots of the tree that was in the spot the septic now sits.

 More tracks in the sand.

I have no idea what these are either but they grow where you think nothing can and they are lovely!

Spider wasp with a wolf spider.

This huntsman spider was in my laundry cupboard but now resides outside... unless a spider wasp got her. And yes I know she's a she. Because the day after we kicked her out around 100 of her babies hatched in my laundry!



We had a bunch of Juvenile Kookaburras in the yard in January- gorgeous and loud!


A New Holland Honey Eater. These little orange flowers are on a plant that is actually growing on the gumtree an Epiphyte I can't find the name of.

These guys abound in the yard. We sometimes go on a 'lizard walk' late afternoon and find upwards of 10 of them around the place sunning themselves on the rocks and fences.


Bougainvillea


28 Parrot eating the buds and flowers on the gumtree at the front of the house.

Gumtree flowers.

One of the things I am excited about seeing in it's prime next spring is the Jacaranda Tree out the front- in full bloom they are spectacular!

A bark super highway for ants... it looks pretty cool in real life.

We have an Olive tree in our back yard as well. Once again the lack of water means a small crop of fruit this year- it will be interesting to see it next year.


We found this little Gecko in the back paved area and moved him to the other side of the house so as to protect him from the works that were coming. About a week later I accidentally stood on one in the backyard (they only come out at night). He took off up the wall but dropped his tail before doing so which I was fairly upset about- and grossed out by. They are designed to do it in times of threat- but I didn't expect the lost tail to keep wriggling around on the ground. I felt terribly guilty. He's called a Marbled Gecko. We found one on our bedroom wall one night as well.


We've been putting seed out for the birds too. We get these '28' parrots, magpies, and some super pretty (and shy) Doves.

 

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Mid week Wonderful~ 26/3/14

I'm grateful for... the work that's happening to get our sprinklers fixed I love our garden!

I'm thankful to be inspired by... Mrs Elphick.

I'm savouring....iced coffee, while it lasts.

I'm loving... "Mum and Tama" days

I'm looking forward to.... getting our new sliding door soon.
♥ 

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Our House

Finally! A proper introduction to the brown house!

First up the oven! Single brick ex-double garage probably intended to be a 'games room' we use it as our main lounge and......

Scrapbook room.

Computer area.

And lounge of course.

Oh and half of our library. :-) This room gets HOT on a hot day- 32 degrees is not unusual.

Through that door way....

Is this L shaped room which is kind of impractical but we made it work quite nicely as...

The other half of the library and our reading corner.

The second lounge.


The play room.

This is our front entry way note the 'devine' green tiles. Blergh! That leads to the hall way and off the hallway you can find....

Our bedroom.

 Check out the awesome light shade!

We're still sharing a room... aiming for a 3rd birthday transition- of course we need to teach Will not to wake up at 5:30am first.


 His and hers walk in wardrobe


Lovely décor in the en-suite!

 Hmmmm... those tiles.


Also off the hallway the laundry- more classy tiles! And the dishwasher (pain in the bum!).

The last room off the hallway is: Merenia's room (on an extremely good day).



Right outside Merenia's room is the dining rooms and the place where we keep all the school stuff.


And that looks back down the Hallway and onto the kitchen.

Lovely BROWN and GREEN kitchen.

I do love my awesomely huge pantry... we have space in there and our kitchen cupboards... lots of lovely space!

There's a little hallway off the dining room and to the left of that is Will's room...


This is his Lego making table. It needs some sort of rim around the edge because all the Lego ends up on the floor anyway- which is what we were trying to combat with the containers. Oh well....


And this will be Tama's bed eventually. Will made the interesting choice of the fish art work from IKEA.

Down the other end of the hallway is the kids bathroom which also contains classic 70's décor and is a tragic waste of space.


Mmmmm marbled formica! The shelves on the left were converted from Kieran's old chest of drawers. We have a linen cupboard but it's back in the laundry and it has all of Les' modelling gear in it.

And last but not least Kieran's room also on the high end of tidy because I took these pics on the day of our first rental inspection.

And there you have it: Casa Del Stockley aka The Brown House..

 ♥