It's a snugly kind of day

Project Life 2013 and cover

People who know me or who have been reading this blog for a while know that I've been a scrapbooker for many years, but this year I decided to start doing Project Life. I was finding it hard to find the time to commit to traditional layouts and what really matters most to me is recording the stories, housing my favourite photos and being a bit creative in the process. Project Life fits this brief perfectly. I'll be posting some of my weekly spreads over the next little while to record life here and also have an emergency backup online! If you find inspiration in my pages to apply to your project or to record more in your life, that makes me very happy! :)

This year I am using a Seafoam core kit and other digital freebies that I find online. My style includes lots of photos and journaling, some stamping and washi.

Here is my front cover page for this year.

Happy Easter!

Easter. It is such a special holiday. One that for many is about a long weekend, hot cross buns and chocolate eggs and I have to admit that those things have their perks. ;) But this year it has been about more.

The joy of seeing my daughter open small gifts on Easter morning and of her gathering coloured plastic eggs into a pink basket with the neighbors chickens watching on. (She really is the cutest thing I've ever seen!)
Making hot cross porridge as I can't eat the buns at the moment.
Visiting a Catholic Church service at 3pm on Good Friday, full of story and meaning.
Acknowledging the cross and thanking Jesus for His gift. Watching families do the same together.
Celebrating Jesus resurrection at church on Sunday. Feeling moved and getting teary as a song was performed.
Walking along the pier with my family and taking some gorgeous photos.

Tonight I am grateful for my husband and daughter. For my parents. For this place where we rest and holiday together and for the gift of life that I find in Jesus.

Even when I live my life below what I know I should, he continues to bless me and to love me. Even when life takes on challenges and I am focused on them rather than my blessings and my place in Him, He remains faithful.

I am grateful for Jesus.

My gorgeous girl

I can't get over how cute she looked today, all rugged up to feed the neighbors chooks (who visit the beach house) and pat the horses.

From my iPhone

Here are some snaps of our life from over the past few weeks. Tilly is growing so big!

Wonderful Warburton

Sunrise from Mount Donna Buang, just after seeing one of two lyrebirds

We spent the weekend away with my family in Warburton to celebrate my mum's 60th birthday and it is a beautiful place. It was a full weekend- there was cycling for the boys (and chasing Toby and my brother up Mount Donna Buang before 7am), relaxing, playing, wading in the Yarra River, reading, eating, hiking to La La Falls, early morning walks to the park and plenty of time admiring the garden and birds from the comfort of our deck. 

Going away as a family was one of mum's birthday wishes and it was a great idea. I think that Tilly especially loved playing with her cousins.

Thank you for sharing the weekend with us mum and dad!

Here are some of my favourite snaps that I took on the weekend.

Birds in the backyard...

Impressive dawn ride up Mount Donna Buang...

Cooling off in the Yarra...

Walking up to pretty La La Falls...

Amazingly, Tilly fell asleep when I was carrying her back down

Family photos in the backyard...

 

Tilly's first solo slide ride very early Sunday morning...

A ride on the Rail Trail for the boys...

Where is Milly's nose?

There it is!

My girl likes beetroot juice

It's been a long time between posts. I'm sorry. We had some sad personal news in January which has left me leaving the blog behind for a while. Hoping I get back on board again soon. But in the meantime, here are some snaps from Miss Tilly, enjoying her fresh juice with beetroot. That's my girl!

Itty Bitty Milly

We are now a two cat family after welcoming sweet Milly into our home on Tuesday this week. She comes from the RSPCA and is the sweetest little thing. Tilly loves Milly and has taken to sitting outside of the ensuite door (Milly's temporary safe place) saying her name and wanting her to come out and play. :) 

After Sandy died, we thought about getting two new cats, but when we visited the RSPCA (many times!) there didn't seem to be a good pair to come home with us, so young Basil it was. Solo. 

The thought of a second cat has remained though, so Tills and I trundled along to the shelter 4 times in 5 days to meet the cats that may suit Basil and us (good for a family, under 2 years, female). On the 3rd visit, the adoption officers suggested that a kitten may actually be a good fit for us, particularly as Basil is still a kitten himself (nearly 12 months). So mum came with us for the 4th visit and we got to meet the kittens who are isolated from the other cats and only allowed to interact with those who pass their 'interview' and are keen to adopt that day. There was a short haired black and white little girl who was sweet, but when I found Milly, cuddled up to another cat and looking beautiful with her longer coat and gorgeous markings I hoped she was a girl. She was (obviously!) and she had a gentle and relaxed personality, with adults and most importantly, Tilly and the other cats. She was ours! Amazingly, I'd seen her the day before through the wires and a lady was putting her on hold to collect the next day. I'd admired her and thought she was gentle and gorgeous... and gone... but she was the one that we ended up with! I didn't know this until the end of the adoption process when the officer said that she was glad we got her. The woman who had her on hold had just called to check if she was still available but obviously she was not. She looked much darker from the outside of the enclosure.

first cuddles with Milly in the kitten enclosure

Tilly deciding that Milly really was the one!

The photo we sent to Toby at work to seal the deal!

Bas and Milly have been enjoying supervised play times for the last few days and things are going pretty well so far with no aggression or hissing. Tilly is besotted and we are too.

First meeting as I carried in Milly... nose to nose and no complaints.

entering the ensuite

the first of many selfies

Toby meets Milly for the first time after work

She is such a sweetie! We can't wait to see her grow up with Basil and for the day when they can both run free together.

Pencil on paper

Tilly's second artwork. 12-1-13

project gratitude: 130108

January 8- Today I am grateful for Tilly's sense of humour. She is so funny. So often lately she is doing things just to make us laugh. A dance. A theatrical bite of food. Peekaboo from behind the couch with a dramatic pause. Walking several steps then falling over and letting out a loud argh with a huge smile. She is funny!

And her kisses... For the past few days she's been giving them left right and centre, both when asked and just because. She's also been blowing kisses which is very cute!