Thursday, December 27, 2012

The Girls of the House!

Here are some snaps that had been sitting on my computer for a while. These quite recent shots of Roma. She is such a happy and adorable little thing.

I took the first 2 photo's and Hero thought she would have a turn of my 'big Mumma' of a camera!
She did a surprisingly good job. A rare one of me that i don't mind too!





Sunday, December 23, 2012

10 years


This boxing day will mark 10 years since my beautiful Father passed away.

10 years sounds like such a distance, so so much has happened and changed since then, but his presence stays very strongly with me. I love how he is frozen in time, and will now always look like he does in this picture. This is the Dad i most remember and miss. Not the one who was sick and fighting against time. It took a few years for that memory to diminish, for a long time it was still the one that popped into my heads first. Now i struggle to visualise him during his illness.

I cant believe that 10 years has passed, and that i have lived for 10 years without him with me. I remember thinking many times will i be able too? My beautiful family has helped of course, and the support, strength and secure bond with Jem has been my rock.

I can't quite comprehend how hard and difficult it has been for my mum though. My life has well and truly moved forward in so many exciting ways since he died. And although it is heartbreakingly sad that he didn't see me get married, or meet any of my beautiful children or be apart of our move to the coast, new and amazing memories are being imprinted into my life without him with me.

Mum, has had to learn to survive has a single person after being in a partnership for 30 years, she has stayed in the same house that she and Dad made into a home, looked after and managed Dad's estate. She had to learn how to be on her own especially after we moved to Barwon Heads. She had to work though the lonely times and attain the strength in which to carry though. Lucy-Lu (family dog) has been a huge key to this I'm sure. She has done an amazing job.

We have a lot to celebrate this Christmas, and it will be at my family home surrounded by my Dad's memories,  my dear brother and his partner, Jem and his family and Mum.

I hope you all have a beautiful, happy and safe Christmas.

It is so important to be grateful for what your have.

I am.

xxx





Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Hero turned 8!

Hero turned 8 on the 23rd of november. She chose 3 friends to come to "High Tea" at a fantastic bakery here in Geelong, James Street Bakery.

The girls had such a fun time, drinking peppermint tea (with sugar!) and eating delicious morsels.


How cute do they all look, dressed to impress! 8 is a gorgeous age.



They loved being ladies!


 Happy birthday to my wonderful daughter, who makes me so so proud with whatever she does! Her radiances is addictive and feels like the warmth of the sun on your back whenever she is around.

Lots of kisses and hugs!

Sunday, November 25, 2012

a look back in time.

My Birthday 2012

Our wedding day 2007















I celebrated my 37th birthday at the start of this month. Jeremy took me to the Melbourne Cup. It took a  bit of planning, with the little ones, especially the littlest one, but it was well worth it!

Getting dolled up on your birthday was quite fun! Nothing like putting on a frock, some lipy and a fascinator to make you feel a bit special. Then spending it with my gorgeous man drinking French Champaign and being served 4 course's was such a buzz. We had a beautiful day, and when we got home i got to blow out birthday candles and eat yummy cake the kids decorated.

Whilst cleaning Hero's room a few day before the cup i saw this picture of Jem and i on our wedding day, with Hero in my arms and Banjo in Jem's. It occurred to me that Iggy and Roma are at a similar age and it would be a great opportunity to take a snap all dressed up with the second half of our family. Don't the kids look similar?

How time can fly, i remember feeling so happy and contented with my babies back then. It's still a bit surreal to think that 5 years on we would be back at this stage again! I am just as contented now. But maybe thats because this is the last time i will be re-visiting this stage again!


Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Dedicated to Hubby's


Something i get asked a lot is how do you look after 4 kids?! Well the answer is you just do. Like all families, you have your rough days and you great days, but as a mum of 1 or 4 you just motor on and do the best you can.

What i have found particularly tricky with 4 is maintaining and remembering the relationship you have with your partner. Jem and i have so little time together at the moment, if he was a child it would be considered neglect!

So often he will take some or all of the kids so i can have a break, or i will take them so he can work. And with 4 it is much easier if you divide and conquer. But it is really hard to keep that connection, there is always a little one, or big one breaking it constantly.

In the past month Jem and i have been alone (out) twice. It so so so nice. And an effort that really needs to be made.

Like everything with kids, it is just a phase, and we will get through it, but it is a hard one and one you don't hear talk about as much.

This post  is for you honey! Love you Jem!!

  

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

My first official family portrait!



And it's a classic!

It's not easy to make this happen. The stars all have to be alined! We all have to be together, no-one asleep, no-one at a friends no-one crying, and someone other then me needs to be present to work my camera!

I am quite happy with this shot. It is far from perfect, I know Banjo looks grumpy, Jem looks like he is putting on a fake happy face and Roma is not looking at the camera, But i think our family portrait is going to take a few years to get right. This was taken in Brisbane by Jeremy's sister in law. We were rushing to get to the airport in time to catch our plane home after our holiday, but i was adamant about getting a family shot taken.

I am rarely in photo's because i usually take them, so this was important to me. I am going to make it an annual event, it will be great to see the family change  and grow.

Monday, September 10, 2012

House Rules


This weeks house rules come from Iggy with a little help from Banjo!

Note the smile on the face after hitting! Do you think this rule will be obeyed?


We are heading off on a holiday to Byron Bay, which will be lovely but life is really crazy at the moment!
Here is what i am leaving behind!

THis is what my back yard looks like at the moment!!

A peek at what we have been shooting for our School Cookbook.


All this and more will be waiting my return!

But for now, rest, warm sun (finger cross) and some family time.

I will report back on my return.

xx

Monday, September 3, 2012

House Rules

Children spend a large part of time looking at what is on your wall at home, more then you might think.  I'm sure you all have strong memories of a particular picture or painting from when you were little that takes you back in time. So recently we have put up a quote board. This hangs right near out meals table.

I started by writing quotes that i came across and we would discuss over dinner or breakfast, but conversation turned to our family morals and manners. So now we call it the 'house rules' board. The kids take turns in deciding the house rules and it stays up for a week.

I thought i would share them with you as a weekly post, they are very cute, and they come with illustrations.

This is Hero's.


Wednesday, August 22, 2012

No dishwasher!!

This morning i woke to find that the dishwasher was not working! A fixer man was called and booked to come tomorrow. But dirty dishes in the dishwasher and all the breakfast dishes sitting on the bench had to be put at the bottom of the 'to do' list, there were many more chores that had to be done first.

So when i returned at the end of the day, with a tied baby girl and a bit of a sensitive, slightly sick and grumpy toddler, i thought how am i going to do this?!

I went into the laundry and pulled out a couple of tubs, filled them up, put them out on the deck, pulled the racks of dirty dishes out of the dishwasher and said in an enthusiastic voice, "Who wants to wash the dishes outside!!?"

WEll they had an absolute ball! They chatted and laughed and worked together as a team better then i have ever seen them work before. I know it was just a novelty, but hey, i didn't have to do them!

I think i might find the dishwasher broken more often when the family need to re bond. And i have the perfect amount of helpers for a dish washing line!




Friday, August 17, 2012

A Vision


In life we all have a vision at some stage of what we would like to be when we 'grow-up'. Wether it is places to visit, careers, marriage or a goal to work towards.

I have been thinking a lot about this lately and believe it is just as important when you have kids to have a vision for them. This is not about what you want them to be, but who you want them to be. Is it the attributes that you saw in your man when you first met? Is it a person that you admire or have admired? Is it human qualities that you wished you had more of?

Having a vision helps me in my roll as a Mum. It makes me think everyday about how i can teach and demonstrate these traits to each child. It can give my day a purpose when i have a disaster day. Like when i have just managed to do the seemingly uninspiring tasks of washing, cooking and cleaning.

This photo sums it up for me. I love this photo, my big girl has learnt so much in her 7 years, she has become a beautiful example to her little sister who is only just starting her journey from the beginning. She has chosen the perfect person to look up towards!

The first 4 years are really some of the hardest years, but also the MOST important. Bt that is whole other post!

Do you have a vision?

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

6 months

Roma is almost 6 months. It is a beautiful age.
At 6 months she beams her radiant smile freely at any willing person.
She giggles and squeals with the cutest baby sounds you can imagine.
She is no longer fragile and delicate, but strong and incredibly soft and velvety, with skin that begs to be kissed.

At 6 months their facial features start to come through, and for the first time you are able to get a little glimpse of who they might be when they get older.

I manged to find a photo of each one at 6 months, i have been quite surprised at how different they all look. I love finding similarities within their faces. Looking at their photo whilst knowing their personality so well now is a surreal and nostalgic feeling. 






I decided not to tell you which one is who, i thought it might might be fun to see you can work it out!

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Gloating Parents!

Well, can you believe it is the middle of the year already? Mid year break is upon us which means report time!

Now before i go ahead and show off my perfect kids reports, let just say that i am aware that it is politically incorrect to write un-positive and mean things in kids reports these days. And i don't think one single child in Australia will have an unsavoury  comment  written about them. But! Please just let me be a proud and gloating parent briefly.

Lets start with Banjo, you can probably remember my post about starting school. Well he has absolutely loved it, and settled in with almost no drama's at all! It seems like a lifetime ago that he didn't go to school! That is how relaxed and comfortable he his.

He has excelled in his reading and writing, more so then Hero did in prep and we are so proud. At home, we are still working hard to teach Banjo better listen skills, using manners more, and thinking of others more often, so when we got his report  I did have check that the name on the cover was infact Banjo Partos-Slattery!

With reports like, "Class Effort - Excellect!", and "Work Habits - Ellcellent!'"
"Banjo ALWAYS displays a positive attitude towards learning and consistently produces work that is beautifully presented" It was a little different from the Banjo we get at home!

He has come along way since the beginning of the year and it is such a buzz to watch him strive and learn at such a fast pace. Below is an example of his work at the beginning and a more recent one.
                               
                                      26th March 2012
         
12th June 2012


 Hero has a beautiful sole and anyone that knows her would agree. But still, when a person that you don't know very well speaks so highly of one of your children it can bring you to tears!


Hero's teacher this year is a real winner. And through primary school you will have some not great ones and some real standouts, like Mrs Kebble. This all helps, but at the end of the day, your child has to adapted constantly to the changing school environment and learn how to stay above the water of school life, and Hero's resilience and enthusiasm is incredible to watch.
We are so proud of you sweet pea .



Saturday, June 16, 2012

Good things come in 3's!


These beautiful babies come from my dear and closest girlfriends. 
Not only are there 3 babies, but at one stage the 3 of us were each in one of the 3 trimesters!

Spencer James Hibberd
31 March 2012
Jenson Ward
30 May 2012
The 3rd is of cause Roma.


Spencer is Lizzy's 1st bubs,
Jenson is Carli's 2nd bubs, 
and my 4th! (Nearly worked)

I have had to wait a while for my girlfriends to start their families, but the wait has been worth it. I love seeing them produce beautiful babies with the best and most supportive men be their sides. I am loving watching them turn into wonderful strong and confident mothers and now i am going to sit back wait to see these little cherubs grow and become their own individual.

Dont Spencer and Roma look like they are do a dance!
                         


Love you girls!

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Getting them back into your hands!

Not sure how many of you use or know of Instagram, but i have been loving it! I love how it instantly records my daily life with ease. (you can find me at vip123.) The only problem was having these photo's live in cyber space. As a photographer i still like to handle prints in my own hands. Which brings me to Blurb.

Below is a book / album that i got printed with my instagram images.



My Family

I am already looking forward to printing the next one!!

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Banjo's Birthday

It has been another long wait  in-between posts sorry! But time just doesn't  seem to be on my side at the present.

We have just celebrated Banjo's 6th birthday this week and it has been a bit of an ordeal! So much so i thought i might let the photo's tell the story!



Birthday countdown

"I don't feel well Mum..."

Over the last fortnight i went through 4 bottles of medicine!

Trying to put on a happy face! Even with his new
board. 


Party time helps distract the symptoms. 

last minute throw-together cake

A rare smile from the sick birthday boy

Running out of steam!

Monday, April 30, 2012

The Golden Bed


This was my bed when I was Hero's age, and i remember feeling like a little princess sleeping in it.

It is a late 1800's brass bed that was given to my Mum and Dad by an old family friend. I always new it as 'The Golden Bed'. I can't remember when i stopped sleeping in it, but it has been in the back of Mum's shed for the good part of 25 years! Mum always

We picked it up on the weekend and managed to clean it up a little assemble it for Hero. It was truly delightful to she how excited she was to have her first own bed, and so proud that it was once her Mum's. I got a real kick out of seeing her delight, which took me back in time to how i felt when i first started sleeping in it too.

I would love to know who else has slept in it?

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Priorities




How do you prioritize? I am feeling quite overwhelmed with things that need to be done. For example;

Domestic jobs

  • tidying
  • cooking
  • cleaning
  • laundry
  • gardening
  • sorting
  • food shopping
  • packing lunches/snacks (and tying to be healthy about it )
  2.  Administrative jobs

  • opening the mail! Not to mention completing and returning forms!
  • reading numerous newsletters to stay informed with goings on
  • signing permission slips
  • paying term fees for outer school activities 
  • locking into the diary important dates 
  • then finding someone to look after the kids if it is not a child friendly appointment! 

  3. Family jobs

  • reading and writing with each child
  • kicking the footy or playing trucks or helping write a ballad (with Hero!)
  • Roma's tummy-time
  • Roma's feeding time
  • Finding lost toys (Hero's Leap Pad has been lost for 2 weeks and i still haven't managed to find time to have a good hunt for it!)
  • my exercise time
  • my eating time
  • seeing my husband!
All this is pretty much day-to-day jobs, and of course at the moment life is really busy, so figuring out which is most urgent or important is really hard!

It feels as if any of the above things were left unattended it would have a serious impact. I am really quite unsure how to manage it all.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Struggling with time..

Iggy & Roma
This was a sweet moment!

I look forward to reading my favourite blogs regularly and find myself getting disappointed when they haven't blogged for a few days.

I always intended to blog quite regularly and am annoyed with myself that i haven't managed to make it happen. I know i am busy with all the kids but it also has to do with the content. I am still unsure as to how personal i want to be or how impersonal too, if that makes sense.

I have always thought of my blog as a type of diary about my life and all the drama's and stories that come with it. I think blogs work best when they are personal, consistent and regular.

I find too, that when i have a quite moment (which is not very often) that is when my mind turns to things other then the kids and domestic chore's. It is then that i ask myself question and ponder issues and ideas which lead to blog entries.

As i write this i can hear Roma waking and already my mind has shifted and i have lost my train of thought.....

So anyway, stick with me guys! Maybe i need to lock in some time to blog like i do with exercise and shopping!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

A little character!


I just had to share this photo of Iggy, it was taken in September and got buried in my photo album.

He was having the time of his life in the back of Jem's ute. And it is a the combination of where he is, what he is wearing and the his enjoyment that make this a classic photo.

Our Iggy is such a character.Not a day goes by where he hasn't managed to make us all laugh.

Hero's Self Portrait


The Art room at Hero's school has been open at lunchtime and Hero as been really enjoying it!

She brought home this self portrait yesterday and there are so many things i love about it.
  • Her signature
  • The ponytail sticking out the back
  • The eyelashes
  • The angular nose and the tiny nostril
  • The fact that she coloured in the wrong parts of her eyes
She still has a touch of the beautiful naive children's perspective, but is getting more conscious of making things look correct. This is a nice combination. Before long she will get self conscious  of how she draws.

My Dad would have loved to see the kids drawings, and they could have learnt a lot from him.