A letter to you

Dear You,

Life in the last 1.5months has been tough. 

Very tough.

Every body goes through hard times at some stage or another. 

But lately instead of having one 'hard' thing to deal with as well as every day life, I seem to have several.

And with a four year old and a new baby... that shiz is hard.

The other night I put a photo on Instagram and didn't say much with it.

"Caught up in my thoughts today...Actually. To be honest. I think I'm struggling. Sigh."

I didn't do it for any other reason other then to vent... to lighten 'my load'.

A lot of the comments were encouraging...
A lot suggested jotting things down...

Some suggested 'seeing' someone to talk to...

That's the thing... I was in the car park waiting for my appointment with my psych.

To talk it out. 

I go weekly.

Every week it is hard... 
So many more things to talk about, so many more things to work through. 
She has helped with so many things and is still helping me move past a lot of others. 

But...
Right when we were at the cusp of finding reasons for some things and causes for others. 

Something happened.
Something big.

My life was shattered into a million pieces

Actually make that two million.

It was so left of field... 

Such bad timing {metal health wise} 

I had {at the time} a 3.5 month old and a four year old that needed me. 

You have no idea how much I needed them... to be normal... to keep busy.

So life went on...

A life went on.

But now... 1.5 months later... I still don't feel like I am living my life.
I still do not feel like I am me...

Life feels like it is going on around me and I am still stuck in that same place...

The exact same spot I was in 1.5 months ago.

I now have a 5.5 month old a a 4.5 year old WHO still need me. SO life must go on

But.

I miss laughing... oh to laugh.

I miss crying at the sad AND the happy things.

I miss feeling comfortable in my own surroundings.
I miss being comfortable around others because I constantly feel like I am being judged/scrutinised.

I miss me

Would you look at that...

Would you look at that... the very first year of Kinder is over and done with...

I.can.not.believe.it!

It feels like just a week ago I was writing about his first days

It has been a massive year for this little man... 

Trying to find his place in the crowd

Becoming a big brother

Having some medical issues

But through all his trials and his triumphs he is STILL the most amazing little man... 

He lives in the moment... is spontaneous and SO full of love and life.

Dec 2013

And I am just so VERY proud of him!












Do you have kiddlets?
What year are they in?
WHY is it the years are flying by?

Stay Fabulous!

Tara.

Weekend Happenings

Weekends... do you find yours fly by too?

They should be three days long at this time of year... the Monday being a mandatory rest day

Some of our weekend in pictures...

I wrapped some presents... NOW its really starting to look and feel like Christmas

Simple... yet festive!

Love ticking things off our Summer Bucket list

 Every year... We hold the Mothers Group Family Breakfast. This year was no different... It was a fabulous relaxed atmosphere with lots of good food and even better company... THIS YEAR THOUGH we had an extra special visitor...

SANTA!

Ronan's face was like this the whole time... sharing hugs with his friends and when Santa finally called his name after he waited so patiently for most of his friends to receive their gifts it was finally his turn!

*
FOR YEARS I have wanted to get a Santa photo with these kiddlets...
I absolutely ADORE this photo... it is our little family being them crazy little selves and I love them all.
{Finn featuring his classic... 'laaaaaadies' face}

Thank you Santa for visiting us!

How was your weekend?

Did you spot Santa in your travels?

Have you wrapped yet?

Stay Fabulous!

Tara

*Photo used with permission

{almost a} Wordless Wednesday

Mind Flip...
I had driven The Husbands car to the hospital and when I was leaving I had to stop and think about which car I had driven.

Saw this floating around the interwebs and I couldn't resist... forgive me I can not remember where.

Things like this... Making the decision to move harder every time

I am NO food blogger BUT this roast vegetable quiche was DELISH in my humble opinion

Sleepy 4.5year old... oh.my
P.s. Lashes love!

I am really enjoying being back... just need to remember to find the stories... 

Ever been mind flipped in a car park?
What memories are now permanent features in your home?

Do you think we could cut the concrete out when we choose to go?

Stay Fabulous!

Tara.

A Christmas tradition

Every year we go as a family to the local Christmas tree farm and pick our very own Christmas tree for our home... the perfect one is picked each year so that it can help us decorate the house... protect presents lovingly put underneath it with care... and to make the house smell Christmas-o-rific.

This year was no different... except the fact that we have an extra person { HAPPY DAYS!}
Because of this extra person requiring lots of things that has taken up half of our house, I decided that we should put the tree on our corner table this year rather then next to the back door because the baby swing is there.

We went in search of a 4ft tree and we found one... she is beautiful

One other tradition we have is putting the star on the tree... Ronan has done it for the last couple of years and seeing as Finnley is still only little, Ronan got to do it again this year...

Do you get a tree every year?
Who decorates?

Who puts the star on?
Any special traditions that you do?

Stay Fabulous!

Tara x

A repeat: Mould-able 'sand' anyone?

I was asked during the week how to make the mould-able 'sand' so I thought I would put it back up on the blog. 
Have fun x

Hello again!

{have to say I am a bit excited to see so many page views THANKS}

Anyways back to business...

Its been HOT and HECTIC in our little house over the last few days. So we spent yesterday (Sunday) at home for some well earned RnR and some 'us' time.

Master R seemed to enjoy being at home all day in the cool thank goodness.

Yesterday we did loads of activities together to try and keep cool and entertained.

One that I think is worth a mention, I came across this on Pinterest (big shout out for pinterest) if you haven't had a look yet I suggest you trundle off and have a look after you've finished reading here of course.

Master R wanted to build SAND CASTLES but our sand was so dry that it just wasn't working and I had remembered the above mentioned pin.

SO we made mold-able flour

It literally took no more then a minute to put together and all it was 8 cups of plain flour and 1 cup of baby oil.

Ta-daaaar.....

I added some plastic cups, some spoons and different size measuring cups and we were good to go

It makes fabulous 'Sand Castles' and smells good to!

So good to scoop

Even Dad joined in...

It was good apparently have to love a WIN with the BIG kids as well

We made tunnels

AND even ventured in with our toes

We all played with it for about an hour and it made a fabulous mess. But lucky it was just flour if it was sand Id be still finding it everywhere I walked (blah).
We have put it away for another day...But there was already a request for it this morning so who knows we might have it back out this arvo.

How do you keep cool and calm on really hot days? Would love to hear your activities.

Thanks again for stopping by.

Our 2013 advent calender

The thing I have been struggling a lot with in the last year or so is...

"oh that is a great idea I WILL absolutely do that" then time passes and it doesn't happen... and I get totally bummed out about how I have missed another opportunity to "do".

The lead up to Christmas this year has been an exhausting one... there are things happening within this home that I did not expect.

And do you know what they have taken the puff out of me.

The absolute PUFF!

 And because of this 'Unexpected Thing' I have been focusing on things that involve my little family and them only.

I was wanting to organise an "elf on the shelf"

It didn't happen...

So, then I was all like I will totally organise an advent calender and I WILL MAKE ALL THE THINGS...

It didn't happen...

Sigh.

So when I caught up with my friend down the street and she was talking about doing this advent calender and that she had found some awesome ideas at the local Christmas shop, I was all... YOU KNOW WHAT I have been thinking of doing that and just haven't gotten around to it... Hope you don't mind, but can you get me one too!

We bounced ideas off each other... gifts, activities I could feel the excitement growing inside me and I was like YES THIS MUST BE DONE.

I'm still exhausted... The Unexpected Thing must still be dealt with daily... but this is something I want to do... 

I need it...

I need to bring some magic back into this house and how else to do that then with some Christmas Magic...

So on the night of the 30th of November or Summers Eve, The Christmas Elves stopped by and installed an advent calender...

Cheeky things

Each night they visit... they leave an activity card in the next days stocking and they leave a present as well... only something small, its either just something for a bit of fun... or its directly related to the days activity.

It is awesome!!!

BUT

The thing I love the most is... 

HIS FACE... EACH AND EVERY MORNING!

He is loving it and you know what...

SO AM I!

Are you advent-ing?

If so how are you doing it?

How do you create Christmas magic in your home?

Next year I am getting a shelf on the elf!!!

Stay Fabulous!

Tara