First Spring Weekend

 

This past weekend, the first weekend in Spring

we decided it had to be celebrated with an Adventure.

So we set off to the city

soaked up the city buzz,

played at some new playgrounds,

and then explored at the beach.

 

 

Even though it was still a little cold,

{hence the hats, jackets and winter boots} 

they both asked if they could go swimming.

To them, Spring means warm weather 

and warm weather means Summer

and Summer at the beach means swimming.

Soon, I said, oh so soon......

Signs of Spring

We are beginning to see signs that Spring is not far away....

and I am loving it.

and then...

and then...

just like that....

I fall in love with the beach and polaroid all over again....

Balloon Polaroids

 

I have been slowly using up my stash of expired polaroid film.  

I have been loving the quirks (the film expired years ago), 

and so last week when I walked around to our local park at dawn,

 and was greeted with a field full of inflating hot air balloons, 

I just could not resist taking polaroids.  

Yes, I knew there was not enough daylight, and the sky was so grey.  

But still, when something as magical as the balloons are filling up the early morning sky, 

they deserve to have the polaroid used.  

Don't you think?

the smocked dress

Another polaroid taken at my friends house on the tea cup photo shoot.  

There is something so adorable about little girls smocked dresses, isn't there?

In the midst of summer

Summer....this year you have been the perfect mix of long hot sun drenched days, and cold snaps to remind us not to take you for granted.  The best days have been those spent out at the beach, and fingers crossed we get some more fantastic weekends when we load up the car and head out on an adventure....those are the days that both kids exclaim it was the best day of their lives, and make the car sicknesses, the sandy mess, the tiredness at the end of the day all worth it.

First day of summer

Today marks the first day of summer.  

And it was a spectacular day, one of those perfect days when you wake 

and can see the sunshine and blue sky before you even open the curtains.  

I love this time of year - there is a real energy to December, 

with the excitement of the holidays coming, and the promise of all that is summer....

long evenings, running through the sprinkler, barefeet, picnics, 

driving with the windows open and the music up.......summer, hello you.

my little guy

Playing along with Faith Hope and a whole lotta Love for Wordless Wednesday.

My little guy, and some very old expired Polaroid film.

I Love Carterton - The Simple Things

A year ago (really, a year???)  I started to post about why I love where we live so much.  I have a whole list of reasons in my head, but I only got to #2 here on the blog.  I am not the world's best blogger am I? 

Here in this blog, this is where I like to share little tidbits about my days, but this space is also my reminder of steps in my journey.  And in amidst the busy-ness that is life at this time of the year, I am all about enjoying the simple things.

So #3 on the list of 'why I love where we live' is The Vegie Garden.  Back in our rentals in Melbourne we would daydream endlessly about what our backyard would be like when we moved and had our own home.  All daydreams involved a vegie garden.  I want to learn how to garden ~ how to not only grow pretty flowers that I can bring in and put in old milk bottle vases on the windowsills, but together with the kids how to grow our own vegies.  And finally, this past week, we have our vegie garden.  Nothing extravagent, just a few lettuces, tomatoes, peas, strawberries and marigolds to start with.  I am in love with this garden.  It represents so much to me, for our family.  Every time I look at it out the kitchen window, I smile.

What simple things are you enjoying right now, as life gets busier?

Free worldwide shipping!

 
This weekend, I am having free worldwide shipping in my Etsy shop.  I don't know about you, but I have started cruising my favourite Etsy shops thinking about holiday shopping.  So this is a great time to get organised with holiday gifts!  Does not apply to jewellery, but everything else, even the photo blocks, ship for nothing.  Not a cent!  This deal will finish end of day Sunday.

What are you plans this weekend?  We are starting to paint walls, skirting...which will take us a step closer to painting the wooden floors white.  Oh happy happy Spring!

The tea cups

On Sunday I spent a few hours with one of my oldest and dearest friends, 

photographing her most divine vintage tea cup collection. 

I had 2 packs of Polaroid film waiting patiently in the fridge for our afternoon, 

and I cannot tell you how much these photos mean to me...for 2 reasons.  

Because I know how much the tea cups mean to my lovely friend, 

and well, because after being so uninspired for what feels like months and months, and doubting myself, 

these little tea cups set up on her adorable kitchen table, have given me that feeling again.  

You know, the one where all you can think about is the photos, 

when you just want to hold them in your hands and look at them again and again.  

When your heart feels alive and you feel the passion for it again.

Thank you, my wonderful friend,

for letting me come and take these photos, 

and for bringing the inspiration back. 

A Trip down Melbourne Memory Lane

Do you ever feel like your heart belongs in two places?  

That you have two homes?  

That you belong here....but you also belong there?   

Today, my heart is here in our home in Carterton.  

Yet my heart is also wandering the city streets of Melbourne.....

Cupcake of the Day

I am playing along again today with Sarah over at Faith Hope and a whole lotta Love for Wordless Wednesday.   And with a birthday coming up, have cupcakes on my mind.