Sleep over at Muma Bears before Baby Bear gets married

We have a wedding in the family this year, actually it is coming up really quickly!!! less than a month to go!

My little brother is getting married.

In our family we always have had the "last night" before one gets married at home and made it a special family time. As the years have gone on and Muma Bear has an "empty nest" that is often not empty at all, we decided that it would be nice for us all to come back and stay the night at Mums, like the ol days.

It was Mum, my lil sis, my lil bro and me. No partners, no kids just us.

We had fondue for dinner and dessert and a couple of bottles of wine(we must be getting old). We talked and laughed till late at night. When we finally got sleepy(about midnight) we retired to the TV room, all snuggling on the couch with doonas, pillows and chocolate! Watching what else BUT "Father of the Bride" it is definitely a family classic and favourite along with Coming to America, Sound of Music, Austin Powers and generally anything with Jim Carrey. We loved watching movies as kids and lots of good times were spent having movie marathons with my family.

Upon waking we had a yummy brekky, mums crepes! Then we pampered the groom to be with massage, foot spa and facial. Talked some more, while lazing on the couch.

Lots of special times, and this weekend is one I will cherish always.

I love my family, genuinely love hanging out with them and am so proud of how how far we have come and that no matter what's going on in our lives we always make time for each other and know how to make each moment we are together count.

Love you guys and thank you for the memories and the ones yet to come xx

Genesis 2:24

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh

fun with friends

This afternoon we had organised a get together at the local play centre for our homeschool group. We had 9 families attend with about 20 children or so.

On the way my children asked(as they usually do), who is going to be there. I started listing off some names of who I could remember was on the list to come and they noticed some of their "usual" friends were not going. It was a great chance to have a discussion about making new friends and including people in their play.

Generally I think my children are pretty good at this(gloat) but I don't want to take it as a given so I make the most of every opportunity to encourage them to be friendly, accepting people.

They made me proud, from when they got there right through till the very end they played with most of the children that attended(those they know well and those they don't know so well) and on our way home they were rattling the names of the new friends they had made which in their words "are pretty cool friends".

I think "best" friends are inevitable, you probably all remember having one or two(or even three depending on the day) and maybe you still do BUT I am also challenged myself and for my children to go out of our comfort zone and push ourselves to get to know new people who come into our lives, you just never know you could be missing out on a very special friendship if you don't. Thought for young and old.

Oil and perfume rejoice the heart; so does the sweetness of a friend's counsel that comes from the heart.
Proverbs 27 vs 9

Early Starts

This past week the toddler has been waking between 6 and 6:30(with the exception of Sunday she gave me a 8:30 sleep in).

I'm not a fan of the early starts. I sit and feed her on the couch for about 30 minutes but then my day has to start. So I make breakfast, do some house work which usually means a tidy, a sweep and a load or 2 of washing. The kids empty the dishwasher from night before, make their beds and get dressed for the day.

That is usually all done by 8am so we may as well start our school work. This has meant we are finished by about 10am and itching for something to do with the rest of our day. Yesterday we headed to the park with some of the other homeschoolers, lovely to get out in the sun. Today we are heading to our local play centre with some of our homeschool friends. I am brainstorming some other ideas for our "super organises days", we could do some art and craft, have a picnic outside, play some games, go to the library, play tennis at our local court.

I do feel really organised and that we are able to do a lot with our day, but I am definitely more tired. I will have to readjust again by going to bed earlier. I am a 8 to 9 hours sleep person, any less and I do not function very well.

Lets see how long this 6 oclock start phase lasts....hopefully not too long, but then it is nice to have so much more time in our day and we get to see Dad off in the morning which is nice too!

Psalm 57 vs 8

Awake, my soul!, Awake, harp and lyre!, I will awaken the dawn

My 30th Birthday Celebrations

Don't you love pro longed birthday celebrations??? Our family seem quite good at celebrating important milestones for at least a couple of days.

My 30th Birthday Celebration started the Saturday prior to my birthday.
16 of us girls(sisters, mums, aunties, cousins and good friends) went to Mount Tamborine for a high tea at Tea and Niceities. Was such a lovely afternoon of good food, chatting and for most of us enjoying some child free time out. Everyone looked so pretty and I felt so blessed that so many of you took time out of your busy weekends to celebrate my special day.

Thank you ladies, I got some beautiful gifts and cards and really was made to feel very special.

cucumber sandwich



scones!

Me and my sister!

(my sister in love)

my beautiful cousins

special friends

Beautiful friends from primary school

Love these girl friends

Mummies



Aunty and good friend

On the Sunday, the same weekend. My brothers, sister and their partners put on a gorgeous 4 course lunch for me at my older brothers home. Started with crusty bread and dipping oil, followed by a lovely, warm pumpkin soup, main was roast chicken and a wide variety of vegetables all finished with an 3 layered chocolate mousse cake(made from scratch by my sister) and jelly. Those who know me, know my all time fav dessert is mousse and jelly. I love spending time with my siblings, they are my bestest friends and I truly enjoy hanging out with them all.
I was also spoilt with gifts. Very special gift card for the movies including baby sitting services and a chauffeur. Beautiful flowers and My sister is so special and really laboured over a very sentimental pressie for m,e a photo book with photos of me as a baby and child. This is very special to me. Spoilt again.
Unfortunately we were all too busy chatting and cooking(well not cooking for me) that no pics were taken.

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On the actual day of my birthday, it was a weekday. The kids were booked in to do rock climbing with the homeschool group so I spent the morning belaying my children on the various rockclimbing walls. They had a ball. My mum came along to watch the toddler and afterwards we went to Sizzler for lunch. Mums shout! Toddler was well behaved and sat in her high chair for 2 hours!

That night we had a light dinner at home and Rob made a cake for me out of profiteroles. He gave me some pressies( I already have my gold bangle, which was an early pressie, which I may or may not have blogged about?)-very Blessed girl I am. A relaxing night at home with my little family.

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Another present I must not forgot to mention, was from my mum. Money can't buy a gift like this one! I had 3 whole nights and 2 whole days child free! So for 3 evenings hubby and I lived it up! Dating at home. Not cos we couldn't go out but because we could stay home-with no children to bath or feed or to read to. We ordered in and ate noodle box and pizza capers and watched a lot of movies. It was so nice to have this special time together for 3 uninterrupted evenings. I had lovely days also on my couch( i do love my couch, its a very comfy and cosy one) and watched girly movies. I scrap booked(online now tho), blogged(of course) and enjoyed a magazine in a bubble bath. Great time to recharge the batteries, thanks again Mum XX

A memorable and very special birthday this year....

high tea

I have been to 3 high teas in my life and have enjoyed it each time.

I really like the idea of the high tea. Dainty, bite size food on a 3 tiered tower, drinking cups of tea in beautiful cups with gorgeous tea pots. I love tea pots by the way....although I actually only own one. I like what they represent. Sharing tea with people you care about or want to get to know.

Back to why I like the high tea.
I like the setting(if you choose the right place), everything is matching or mismatched on purpose. You are waited on and the service(once again if you choose the right one) is beautiful. I love getting dressed up, for me any excuse to wear a different dress or find a new one! Putting on some make up, straightening the hair and popping on some heels and some bling makes me feel good. I suppose it's such a contrast from my day to day attire of stay at home mum-apron and slippers(just joking-hehehe)

I love getting together with the girls, chatting and sharing laughs and stories. The high tea is just a bit different from the normal coffee shop or restaurant experience.

The last one I went on was for my 30th birthday. 16 ladies in a beautiful tea room called tea and niceties at Mount Tamborine. We had a lovely afternoon and from what I could gather by the comments, everyone was impressed by the food quality, atmosphere and superb service. It was such a great way to spend my birthday.

LOOKING for a place to have a high tea?

Room with Roses
Gallery Level,
Brisbane Arcade,
Brisbane QLD 4000
$38 p person including 1 drink(soft drink or tea/coffee)

• Mini Raspberry Scone – a mini version of our signature scone, served with raspberry jam and Chantilly cream
• Mini Ginger Scone – studded with chips of crystallised ginger, served with butter and lime ginger marmalade
• Dainty Ribbon Trio Sandwiches – two of our popular Trio sandwiches
• Mini Corncake – topped with sour cream, crispy bacon and chives
• Mini Salmon Cake – drizzled with dill cream sauce
• Savoury Tartlet – varies daily based on our chef’s selection
• Chocolate Cup – delicate chocolate cup filled with our own white chocolate & raspberry mousse
• Lemon Curd Tart – tangy lemon curd made to a family recipe in a crisp tart shell
• Sweet Treat – chef’s choice from our old fashioned sweet biscuit selection

Pros

• Food was lovely
• Setting was beautiful, with fresh roses on the table
• service was good

cons

• parking in city
• only 1 drink(extra drinks avail at cost)
• We didn't take home left overs, but dont think we asked.

my rating: 8/10

Manx Restaurant-Portside Wharf

This was also lovely. Cant find the menu info so I'm not sure that they still do a high tea. There was a cruise ship in dock when we went for a good friends baby shower so lovely view of that close up!

Great service, we didn't get a doggy bag. Gorgeous crockery and table setting and very comfy chairs!

Food was good quality and plenty, just a little too much pastry for my liking. Came with champagne and tea/coffee were extra.

my rating 7/10

Tea and Niceities

Cost:

the $40 per person option.

Offers a selection of Petite Sandwiches, Hot Savories, freshly baked scones with Strawberry Jam & Double Cream, and four varieties of our delectable petit fours. Served with one pot of tea or a plunger of coffee

The $45 option is (I RECOMMEND)

A more extravagant offering of an assortment of appetizing Sandwiches, Hot Savour Muffins and Corn Puffs. Freshly baked feather-light Scones with Strawberry Jam & Double Cream, Our own Panna Cota and six of our specialty petit fours.Served with two pots of tea from our variety of first grade teas or a plunger of coffee.

Served with a pot of tea from our variety of first grade teas or a plunger of coffee

There is also BYO available at this restaurant

Think of someone you could take for a high tea? or an occasion you could celebrate with a high tea. Definitely worth a try!

If I try more high teas along the way I will review them : )

 

Bon Appetite

Being sick is not nice, being sick and mum of 3=really not nice! But sometimes we need to ask for help and rest

I had been fighting off a cold for 4 days...taking every vitamin and natural remedy I could. I wasn't going to let this cold spoil my plans for a girly day of shopping with my mum, sisters and daughter. Nor was I going to let it stop me from attending a family lunch at the beach for my future sister in love's birthday....then came Monday morning.....ergh! still wasn't feeling great actually my entire body was aching and each step was a chore. I still took the kids to their morning classes, knowing how much they were looking forward to them, I soldiered on and kept to myself and tried to do very little and get through the morning. The drive home felt longer than usual and luckily for me bub napped as soon as we got home BUT I could barely make it up the stairs and I flopped on the couch and oh the aches and pains! They were horrendous!!!
I am not one to whinge and I am a fighter BUT this I could not ignore. Every part of me was in agony from head to toe, I was burning up with a fever and had a very chesty cough. I fought with myself about texting hubby to come home but pictured myself having to deal with the toddler when she woke, I don't think I could even pick her up. I texted him. He was home in half an hour. No questions asked. Daddy hat went right on the minute he walked in the door. He fed the kids lunch(they were starving!!!-my daughter 7ys words exactly). He ran me a bath, gave me some food-I managed a piece of bread and few pieces of mandarin. He tended to the toddler when she woke. I then began to feel really sleepy so he took all the kids, prams and scooters in tow to the local park and I slept.
HE came home bathed them, fed them and got them ready for bed all by 8pm, he even had cleaned the kitchen and loaded the dishwasher by this time.
Hubby ends the day by saying, "WOW, how do you do this every day? and you teach them!", "even my busiest day at work isn't this hard".
Ahhhhhh......is this when we need a "record" button?

Anyway this post is not meant to be for me to gloat(blush)

Hubby then proceeds to give me pain tablets and water and rub my back till I fall to sleep. He even slept on the couch so I could have the bed to myself and so he wouldn't disturb me. Sleep I did from 9pm to 8am! that was just what my body needed to fight this flu.

I did wake feeling better than the previous day but still very lethargic and not well. Hubby and mum organise for the kids to stay at mums for a couple of days so I can get back to full health and he can go back to work(which apparently is a bit easier than staying home with 3 kids)

The kids packed their suitcases and hubby got toddlers stuff ready and packed all 3 in the car and off to mums.

I miss them today but am grateful that I can recover to full health and look forward to when they get back.

As mums we do a lot of the caring, nursing and running around for our families. As horrible as this flu was (and I don't want it back in a hurry) it has made me realise sometimes mummies need to be nursed, fed, patted to sleep, bathed and shown that the house can run (somewhat) if we need some "down" time. We need to allow the people around us do the caring.

I am slowly learning but I am very stubborn.

Big Thanks Mum and Hubby( I am very blessed)
Love you both xx

Isaiah 40:31

"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint."